One Missing Tok'ra
by cheeky-chaos
Summary: The third part of a series the begining with One Missing Artefact under the Tomb Raider category and One Missing Archaeologist. This time, when Jacob Carter goes missing, it is up to Lara Croft and SG1 to bring him back! But can they do it? NOW CO
1. One: Anise arrives

Author's Note: This is the third story in a series beginning with "One Missing Artefact" in the Tomb Raider section. You don't have to have read it, I guess, but things might make a bit more sense it you have! I hope you enjoy it. Cheeky.

* * *

** One Missing Tok'ra**  
  
Jacob Carter looked up in defiance at the Goa'uld standing in front of him. Despite being on his knees and being held by two guards, Jacob was still a fearsome sight. He had a strength and unsuppressible defiance that came from fighting for the freedom of his people. It was something that the Goa'uld didn't understand. Couldn't understand, because it was undeniably human.  
  
"You dare think you can fool a God!" the Goa'uld roared. "You seek to corrupt those who rightfully worship me!"  
  
"I seek only to take power away from a snake who only pretends to be a God!" Jacob snapped.  
  
The Goa'uld hit him across the face, splitting Jacob's lip and causing the blood to drip down his chin. "I am a God!" he yelled, his eyes flashing white.  
  
"No you're not." Jacob muttered.  
  
_:Careful love:_ Selmac said in his mind. _:Do not anger him too much:  
_  
But fortunately the Goa'uld had not heard. "You are nothing but Tok'ra scum!" he continued. "Do you deny it?"  
  
Jacob could see no use in denying the claim. "It is true. I am Tok'ra." He growled at the Goa'uld in front of him. "But I am also Tau'ri."  
  
"Tau'ri!" The Goa'uld's eyes blazed again. "And Tok'ra. You should pay doubly then."  
  
"Jaffa!" he snapped. "Take him out of my sight! He will pay for this later, until he wishes he had never been born!"

* * *

Sam was working in her lab when the klaxons went off. The past week had been peaceful, since Jack was on a vacation. The rest of the team had been enjoying some down time. Sam had spent all that time in her lab, running all the experiments she had been wanting to for ages. She knew Daniel had been overjoyed with time to do some translating – and accompanying one of the archaeological teams' off-world. Teal'c had spent his time with the free Jaffa.  
  
As the alarms rang out, Sam got up and rushed towards the control room. "Unauthorised off-world activation." Sergeant Davis said as she entered.  
  
Then he paused and looked up at the General. "It's the Tok'ra, sir."  
  
"Open the iris." General Hammond ordered.  
  
The iris opened and a serious looking Anise walked through, accompanied by another Tok'ra. General Hammond left to meet Anise in the gateroom, just as Daniel rushed up. "What's happening?" he asked.  
  
"Anise decided to visit." Sam replied, following the General.  
  
A while later they all sat in the debriefing room. "What brings you to Earth, Anise?" General Hammond asked.  
  
Anise looked at him seriously. "Jacob Carter has been captured." She said in her disembodied voice. "The Tok'ra cannot spare anyone, so we came to you for help."  
  
"Captured?" Sam repeated.  
  
"He tried to infiltrate the System Lord Svarog's ranks, but was discovered." Anise explained.  
  
"You said you didn't have enough personnel," General Hammond said. "But I take it you have a plan?"  
  
"Yes." Anise nodded. "The reason we have no Tok'ra to spare is because recently we managed to capture Bastet. We are trying to keep her hidden so the other System Lords do not realise she has been captured, but it is taking all our resources."  
  
The General raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You've captured Bastet?"  
  
"Yes. Jacob Carter was supposed to tell you after he had completed his mission." Anise said.  
  
"And when was that supposed to be?"  
  
"Two days ago."  
  
Hammond nodded. "What is your plan?"  
  
"We believe the best course of action," Anise began, "is that someone should impersonate Bastet and propose a trade."  
  
"What do we have to trade that Svarog would want?" Sam asked.  
  
"Colonel Jack O'Neill."  
  
"Are you crazy?" Daniel asked. "We can't just give Jack to a System Lord!"  
  
Anise looked at him. "We weren't planning to. It is possible to obtain the trade and retain Colonel O'Neill's freedom."  
  
Hammond looked at Sam. "Do you think you could do this?" he asked her.  
  
Anise looked up sharply. "I'm sorry, General." She said. "But Major Carter cannot impersonate Bastet."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"She does not have the correct physical colouring." Anise explained. "Svarog has dealt with Bastet in her current host. He will recognise the difference."  
  
"What does Bastet look like?" Daniel asked.  
  
Anise placed a small disk on the table and pressed a small button. A small holographic head popped up. "I am your goddess Bastet!" the hologram snarled in a disembodied voice.  
  
General Hammond stared at the holographic head. She looked very familiar. "Do you know anyone who looks like this?" Anise asked.  
  
"No, I..." the General trailed off. "Yes. Yes, we do."  
  
"General?" Sam asked.  
  
Hammond looked at Anise. "I suggest we continue this later." He said. "When Teal'c and the Colonel are present."  
  
Anise nodded. "Of course."  
  
"Major Carter, will you show Anise to the guest quarters?" Hammond asked.  
  
"Yes, sir." There was a puzzled frown between her eyes.  
  
She shot a puzzled look at Daniel, but he just shrugged. He didn't know what the General meant either. Hammond watched them leave before retreating to his office. He smiled as he did so. This was working out better that he had first thought. She would be perfect. He was still grinning when he dialled the number.  
  
"Hello?" 


	2. Two: Interrupted Vacation

PART TWO:  
  
Jack felt completely relaxed. He was fishing on his lake in Minnesota, surrounded by peace, tranquillity and natural beauty. And the best thing was that he still had four days of vacation left. 'The only thing better that a vacation,' Jack thought, 'is a long vacation.'  
  
"I don't know why you persist in holding the fishing rod." Said a cultured voice from behind him.  
  
Jack turned in his chair and saw Lara standing a few meters away. He smiled at her. Lara was wearing her usual outfit of tiny shorts, boots and singlet top, but she wore no guns. Those had disappeared about a week ago, but Jack had no doubt they were close at hand.  
  
"You know there are no fish in that lake. I know there are no fish in that lake. You know I know there are no fish in that lake." She continued walking forward. "So why bother with the fishing rod?"  
  
"It's the idea of the thing." Jack said.  
  
"Really?" Lara asked, arching an eyebrow. She took the fishing rod out of his hands. "Couldn't you just pretend?"  
  
Jack looked at her. "Pretend?" he repeated.  
  
"Yes." Lara said. Then she flashed him a wicked grin. "Of course, I could always give you something else to do with your hands."  
  
Lara sauntered in front of him, blocking his view of the lake, before straddling his lap and looping her arms around his neck.  
  
"Really?" Now it was Jack who raised an eyebrow, his hands sliding up to Lara's waist.  
  
"Really." Lara agreed, and bent forward to kiss him.  
  
Jack smiled against her lips and kissed her back. But before anything else could happen, the phone rang back in the cabin. Jack broke the kiss and groaned in frustration. "That had better be important!" he growled. But Jack knew they wouldn't be calling if it wasn't.  
  
"I'll get it." Lara said, grinning. "I wouldn't want to disturb your fishing."  
  
Jack gave her a mock glare and made a big show of picking up his fishing rod. "Of course." He said. "Didn't you know my fishing was extremely important?"  
  
Lara laughed and walked into the cabin to answer the phone. "Hello?" she said.  
  
"Lara?" the voice on the other end asked. "This is General Hammond."  
  
"General." Lara greeted warmly. "How are you?"  
  
"I've been better. Can I speak to Jack?"  
  
"Sure. But I have to warn you: he's fishing."  
  
"Fishing?" the General echoed. "He's at a remote cabin with a beautiful woman and he's fishing?"  
  
"Fishing is a very interesting sport." Lara said, and Hammond could hear the humour in her tone.  
  
"You do know there's no fish in that lake, don't you?"  
  
"Of course." Lara said, laughing. "It's the waiting for those fish that's the fun part."  
  
The General laughed, before falling silent. "Lara..." he began in a serious tone.  
  
"I know." She said, interrupting him. "You're sorry, but Jack needs to catch the first plane out of here so he can save the planet. Again."  
  
"I'm sorry." Hammond said.  
  
"Don't be." Lara replied. "We were lucky to get this much vacation. Besides, if it hadn't been him rushing off somewhere, it would have been me."  
  
Lara felt Jack walk up behind her. She smiled when he slipped his hands her waist and hugged her back against his chest. "I'll let you talk to Jack." Lara said.  
  
"Lara, wait." The General said. "Could you come with Jack? I know Doctor Jackson would love your help."  
  
"Of course." Lara replied, instantly curious as to what was going on.  
  
She handed the phone to Jack and leaned back against him while her mind whirled. What on Earth could the SGC need another archaeologist for, that the others couldn't do? Then she smiled faintly. Perhaps that was the problem. Perhaps it wasn't on Earth.  
  
"General?" Jack asked into the phone.  
  
"Colonel." Hammond greeted. "I'm sorry to disturb your vacation, but something has come up that needs your experience."  
  
Jack smiled faintly at the General's wording. "I'll be there as soon as I can, sir."  
  
"Good." The General paused. "Jack, I don't need to tell you that this is incredibly important. I need you here now."  
  
"I understand." Jack said, instantly concerned at his commander's tone.  
  
"And Jack? I asked Lady Croft to accompany you. We'll need her expertise."  
  
"Yes, sir." Jack answered.  
  
Jack put the phone down as soon as General Hammond had hung up. Lara turned to face him and saw his serious expression. "That bad, is it?" she asked.  
  
Jack nodded. "He asked me to hurry."  
  
Lara raised her eyebrows at this. If the General was asking Jack to hurry it was serious, because he knew Jack would never have delayed. "Go pack." She told him. ""I'll arrange the transport."  
  
Jack smiled gratefully. "Thanks Lara."  
  
She smiled back before picking up the phone as Jack hurried out. The phone rang twice. "Hello?" asked a voice.  
  
"I need a favour." Lara said.  
  
The voice chuckled. "What do you need?"  
  
Six hours later, Jack and Lara were walking down the familiar corridors of the SGC. Lara now wore her guns, and Jack was back in uniform. Jack had raised his eyebrows when Lara had strapped them on during the plane over – which had been piloted by an old friend of hers...and landed at the Air Force base, rather that the local airport – but Lara had shrugged. "A girl's got to accessorise." She had quipped, and Jack knew that there vacation was finally over.  
  
They soon made there way up to the debriefing room above the gate where the rest of SG-1 and General Hammond were waiting – along with two Tok'ra. "General." Jack greeted. "Anise."  
  
"Colonel O'Neill." Hammond returned. "Lady Croft, I'm glad you came."  
  
"Of course." Lara replied in her cultured voice.  
  
"Allow me to introduce the representatives of the Tok'ra: Anise/Freya and Brin/Tera." Hammond continued. "Sam, Jack and Teal'c you already know."  
  
Lara smiled warmly and nodded before taking a seat between Jack and Sam. She looked across the table at Anise. "How was the vacation?" Sam whispered in Lara's ear.  
  
Lara grinned. "Fun." She said. "I'll tell you later."  
  
"Colonel O'Neill, Lady Croft," General Hammond began. "I apologise for cutting your vacation short, but we have a situation on our hands. Jacob Carter has been captured by the System Lord Svarog."  
  
Lara looked sharply at Sam, and Sam nodded sadly back. "The Tok'ra have been unable to mount a rescue, because they have recently captured Bastet and have been devoting their resources to keeping her hidden." Hammond continued.  
  
Jack raised an eyebrow and looked at Anise. "You guys have been busy, haven't you?"  
  
"We try." Anise replied.  
  
"This brings us to why we're here." The General said, with a quelling look at his 2IC. "The Tok'ra have a plan, but they need our help."  
  
"The plan," Anise took up the explanation, "is to have someone impersonate Bastet and propose a trade."  
  
"What will we be trading?" Jack asked suspiciously.  
  
"You." Anise replied.  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Now wait a minute..." Daniel began.  
  
"You're going to trade me?" Jack snapped.  
  
"That is what it would appear like, yes." Anise agreed. "But you should be easily able to overpower the guards at the meeting and return with both Colonel O'Neill and Jacob Carter."  
  
"How many will be undertaking this, General?" Teal'c asked.  
  
"For now just SG-1 and Lady Croft." The General replied. "But I asked Doctor Fraiser to accompany you as well."  
  
"Lara's coming?" Jack asked, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.  
  
"Don't say it." Lara warned him.  
  
Anise nodded in answer to Jack's question. "Lady Croft will be impersonating Bastet."  
  
"The idea," Hammond explained, "is to send Lara in to impersonate the Goa'uld with you to accompany her. Major Carter and Doctor Fraiser will be her hand maidens with Teal'c and Daniel as her Jaffa. Colonel O'Neill will, of course, be the prisoner."  
  
"Will the Goa'uld not recognise me, General?" Teal'c asked.  
  
"We have access to some technology Svarog does not." Anise said. "By using it and some makeup, no one should recognise you."  
  
"It's only the mark we really have to change." Daniel added. "It marks you as the former First Prime of Apophis more than anything else."  
  
"And the technology?" Sam asked.  
  
"It will allow you to speak and appear Goa'uld." Anise said.  
  
"What will we do for weapons?" Lara asked.  
  
Anise turned to look at her. "Due to the rules involved in such a trade, you will have to meet in neutral location," she began, holding up a hand before Lara could interrupt. "By those same rules, only your Jaffa will be allowed to be armed. However, the Goa'uld will not be able to detect small weapons, like knives."  
  
Lara nodded, lost in thought. "Any other questions?" Hammond asked.  
  
No one had any. But before everyone could leave, Anise interrupted. "There is just one more thing." She said.  
  
She opened a small case that was sitting on the table before her and turned it around for everyone to see. A Goa'uld hand device. Then she reached into her pocket and pulled out another case. "Lady Croft will need to be able to use this."  
  
"And how do you propose to due that?" Jack asked.  
  
"Simply by injecting a solution of naquada into her blood." Anise replied. "I assure you it is quite safe."  
  
Anise pulled out a needle and walked over to Lara. "May I?" she asked.  
  
Lara looked at General Hammond. He nodded. "Doctor Fraiser says it is perfectly safe for human biology." He said.  
  
"Go ahead." Lara said, and winced slightly as Anise jabbed her in the arm rather firmly.  
  
As soon as Anise was finished, General Hammond spoke. "You have a go." He said. "Good luck." 


	3. Three: Disguises Reveiled

PART THREE:  
  
"What's going on between Anise and Jack?" Lara asked.  
  
"Anise likes him." Sam said with a mischievous smile.  
  
"Likes...oh." Lara said, breaking into a grin herself. "Well, she can't have him."  
  
Janet grinned from where she sat curled on the sofa. "Alright, spill." She said. "What exactly did you get up to on your vacation?"  
  
The three of them were sitting in Janet's office, waiting for Anise to come and help them with their disguises. To try and take their minds off what they were about to attempt and why, Lara had promised to tell them about her vacation. "We went fishing, mostly." Lara said.  
  
"Fishing?" Janet echoed. "In Jack's fishless lake?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"I don't believe you." Sam said.  
  
Lara gave them both a wicked grin. "It's the peaceful wait for the fish that makes it so...pleasurable."  
  
Sam gaped at her, before bursting into laughter. Janet grinned. "And here I was thinking that I was the only one to have seen him naked." She said.  
  
"I'm not sure I even want to hear this." Sam said. "He's my CO!"  
  
"I guess you don't want to hear about what we were doing when we weren't fishing, then?" Lara asked innocently.  
  
Sam made a face that caused Janet and Lara to burst into laughter. "I don't think so."  
  
The laughter died away as Anise entered the room. "It is time." She said.

* * *

General Hammond waited anxiously in the gateroom for the team, although he didn't show it. Anise was waiting calmly by his side, as was the other Tok'ra. Marines stood in their usual positions around the gateroom.  
  
When the door opened, he looked up curiously and raised an eyebrow in surprise. A bruised and battered Jack was being dragged into the room between two sneering Jaffa. The Jaffa wore white flowing robes, Egyptian- style makeup and each had a Goa'uld symbol tattooed on their foreheads. They also carried staff weapons.  
  
But that was nothing compared to the surprise he felt when he saw the three women enter the room. Lara, Sam and Janet didn't look anything like they usually did. Gone were the efficient doctor, intelligent scientist and poised adventurer – and in their place was a beautiful and arrogant Goa'uld and her two handmaidens.  
  
Lara looked every inch the Goddess – which made Jack gasp softly when he saw her. Her waist length auburn hair was unbound, softening her features and falling in a shimmering wave down her back. Her eyes were outlined heavily in black in the Egyptian style and her lids were dusted in gold. Her hair was gently held back from her face by a golden band with a cat's head and gold earrings hung at her ears. She, too, wore a flowing robe like the 'Jaffa', but hers was far more flattering. It was held together at the waist be a gold cord and she wore bracelets at her wrists and on her upper arms. A Goa'uld hand device was on her right hand.  
  
Sam and Janet also wore Egyptian style makeup, but not as dramatic as Lara's. Their hair had been hidden beneath black beaded wigs, and their robes were only slightly simpler versions of Lara's. They all looked dramatic and amazing – and just like Goa'uld and her servants.  
  
Lara walked over to Jack as Anise looked on. "What do you think?" she asked, doing a small spin for him.  
  
Jack eyed her outfit, a half smile on his face. "I think Svarog ain't gonna know what's hit him."  
  
Lara grinned. "Of course not." She said. "The two of us are going to kick his ass."  
  
"Kick his ass?" Jack teased. "That doesn't sound like the language of a lady."  
  
Lara just stuck her tongue out at him. Daniel and Teal'c were just out of earshot, talking to Sam, Janet and the General. Lara was about to suggest joining them, when Anise walked over. "Colonel, how are you feeling?"  
  
"I'm fine." Jack replied, a little confused. Why wouldn't he be?  
  
"I admire your courage." Anise continued. "This plan is dangerous."  
  
"No more than anything else we've attempted before." Jack said.  
  
By now Anise had turned her back on Lara slightly. Amused, Lara shot Sam a glance. Sam smiled back and nudged Janet. Lara winked once before turning back to Jack and Anise. Lara raised an eyebrow at Jack as she saw Anise lean in. "I wish you good luck, Colonel." She said, before walking away.  
  
Jack looked at Lara with a bemused expression. "What was that all about?"  
  
"A female thing." Lara replied., grinning wickedly at him.  
  
But before Jack could ask anymore questions, Lara shot a glance out of the corner of her eye and pulled Jack in for a long and passionate kiss. A few Marines whistled and cheered at the sight, while Janet chuckled at the surprised look on Daniel's face and the annoyed one on Anise's.  
  
"Not that I'm complaining," Jack said a little breathlessly when Lara pulled away, "but what was that for?"  
  
"I was establishing territory." Lara said. "You're mine."  
  
"But who else..." he trailed off. "Anise?"  
  
Lara nodded. Then General Hammond interrupted everyone. "Are we ready, people?" he called.  
  
In front of him the stargate began to turn. Jack turned back to Lara, gently cupping her cheek. "Be careful." He said.  
  
Lara's flippant reply died on her lips when she saw the serious and tender expression in his eyes. "I will." She said. "You be careful too."  
  
Jack nodded and kissed her gently on the lips. "Chevron 7 encoded." Davis said over the intercom as the stargate engaged behind them.

* * *

General Hammond looked on in amusement as Lady Croft thoroughly kissed his 2IC. It was about time Jack let himself have some happiness – and be something other than a soldier. They finally broke apart as the Marines whistled and cheered. He looked around the gateroom. "Are we ready, people?" he called, before nodding at Davis to start dialling the gate.  
  
Hammond turned back to the gate and caught the tender moment between Jack and Lara. Jack was gently cupping Lara's cheek and they spoke softly – almost as if the rest of the world had ceased to exist for a moment. He rarely saw the soft side of Jack that he saw now, except when he saw Jack with his team. It was a side that he only showed those he cared about – and trusted. Hammond smiled softly. It seemed as if Lara had managed to get closer to the Colonel than many people ever managed.  
  
The gate engaged behind them in a rush. Lara looked like some sort of barbarian goddess at that moment, and Jack her battered warrior. In a way, that's exactly what they were. Warriors of the Tau'ri.  
  
The General watched them slip more firmly into their disguises. Daniel and Teal'c became the sneering Jaffa once more, with a wilted and injured looking Jack held between them. Lara became the arrogant Goa'uld Bastet as she walked up ramp and disappeared, her handmaidens following her. "Good luck." He whispered as they all disappeared through the gate. 


	4. Four: Meeting with Svarog

PART FOUR:  
  
The planet on the other side of the gate was hot compared to the icy feeling of the wormhole. Lara blinked in the bright sunlight as Teal'c and Daniel checked the perimeter, Jack still playing the role of prisoner. They were all playing their parts now. No one knew who was watching.  
  
Lara still stood on the slight platform holding the stargate. She had an arrogant look on her face. Slowly she drew in a deep breath and let it out, trying to remember everything she knew about Bastet and the Goa'uld.  
  
"My Goddess?" Daniel walked forward and bowed. "The perimeter is clear."  
  
"And the _hassac_?" Lara asked in an inhuman voice.  
  
"Conscious, my queen." Teal'c said, from where he was 'guarding' Jack.  
  
Lara felt slightly silly, performing to no audience – or at least, no audience she could see. But she knew it was going to get very serious, very fast. "Very well." She said, climbing down from the platform. "Dial the address."  
  
Daniel walked forward and dialled, as Lara stepped off the platform, handmaidens at her back. The gate opened with a 'woosh'. Daniel nodded slightly to Teal'c before stepping through the gate. Lara followed, with Sam and Janet a step behind her. Teal'c went through last, still holding Jack.  
  
Lara felt the now familiar sensation of being pushed and pulled all at once, before stepping out onto another planet. The planet where they were meeting Svarog. She looked around at the wooded planet that looked so like Earth – and remembered the last time she had stepped out onto a planet like this. Although, this time hopefully there would be no arrows.  
  
Lara walked forward and heard Teal'c and Jack arrive behind her. "Where is Svarog?" she snapped.  
  
Teal'c nodded sharply at Daniel and he went to check the perimeter. Daniel took his place to 'guard' Jack. "There is no one here, my queen." Teal'c said when he returned.  
  
Lara's eyes flashed white. "We had a deal!" she snapped.  
  
Daniel stepped forward, acting his role as First Prime and Bastet's Champion. "Perhaps he is late, my queen." He said, as Teal'c took his place guarding Jack.  
  
It had been decided, back at the SGC, that it would be better if Daniel acted the part of the First Prime. He was less recognisable than Teal'c and if they ran into any trouble, it would be better for Jack and Teal'c to be near each other.  
  
And Daniel was playing the part rather well. He acted just like the devoted, loyal warrior. But just as Lara was about to say something else, the ground around them began to glow. Lara snarled angrily as they were all transported off the planet by a set of rings.

* * *

Svarog looked on in amusement as Bastet appeared before him. He noted that her Jaffa were instantly ready to defend her and her handmaidens moved in front of her, to protect her. But his eyes were only for her. She was perhaps even more beautiful than he remembered. Her eyes flashed white when she saw him. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded.  
  
Svarog smiled. She was as arrogant and condescending as ever. But then she was Ra's daughter and had spent thousands of years by his side, her power almost as great as his. "I have brought you to my ship, Bastet. He said. "So you can enjoy the luxuries you deserve."  
  
"We were supposed to meet in neutral territory." Bastet said coldly. "Not your ship!"  
  
"I assure you, this ship is as neutral as it can be." Svarog replied smoothly. "It is empty except for myself, two of my Jaffa and two servants."  
  
Bastet stalked forward and her servants almost cowered out of her way. "And I suppose I shall just have to trust you are telling the truth?" she asked.  
  
"Yes." Svarog motioned one of his Jaffa forward. "Take the prisoner to his cell." He ordered.  
  
At his words, Bastet turned to the Jaffa guarding the prisoner. The Jaffa bowed his head to her. "You will guard the cell." She said. "Do not let anyone touch him. Do this, and I will be grateful, my warrior."  
  
The large Jaffa bowed again. "It is as you wish, my queen."  
  
He then followed Svarog's Jaffa, dragging his prisoner with him. Svarog watched them leave, before turning back to Bastet. "Allow me to show you where you can rest and eat." He said.  
  
Bastet glared at him, before sweeping past him, her servants following. He smirked as he followed her. This meeting was proving to be fun.

* * *

Lara tried not to blink in surprise as the ring transport disappeared. As soon as that happened, Teal'c and Daniel snatched up their staff weapons and Janet and Sam moved in front of her, playing their parts. But Lara ignored them and focused on the man in front of her.  
  
He was a tall, broad shouldered man, with Norse features and the characteristic blonde hair and blue eyes. He wore breeches, boots and a loose woven tunic. He looked very much like the warrior God he was supposed to be.  
  
Lara's eyes flashed white. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded.  
  
Svarog smiled arrogantly at her. "I have brought you to my ship, Bastet." He said. "So you may enjoy the luxuries you deserve."  
  
"We were supposed to meet in neutral territory." Lara said, as she watched Svarog and his Jaffa carefully. "Not your ship."  
  
Sam carefully shared a look with Daniel. Svarog was up to something. They would have to be very careful. "I assure you, this ship is as neutral as it can be." Svarog said smoothly, his eyes never leaving Lara. "It is empty apart from myself, two of my Jaffa and two servants."  
  
Lara walked forward, angry and frustrated at the turn of events. "And I suppose I shall just have to trust you are telling the truth?" she asked, wondering why it was that he sounded like so many other men in her life...like Pierre, maybe. Or Larson.  
  
"Yes." Svarog waved one of his Jaffa forward. "Take the prisoner to his cell." He ordered.  
  
Lara turned to Teal'c as the Jaffa came forward. He bowed his head slightly. "You will guard the cell." She said. "Do not let anyone touch him." Lara paused for a moment, trying to focus on the role she was playing. "Do this, and I will be grateful, my warrior." She added.  
  
"It is as you wish, my queen." Teal'c said and bowed again.  
  
Lara watched the three men leave and told herself again that Jack would be fine. Svarog turned back to her. "Allow me to show you where you can rest and eat." He said.  
  
Lara glared at him, then swept past, trying to hide her expression from him. _She just wanted to punch him in the face! And then maybe shoot him_, she reflected.  
  
She grinned at the thought, then wiped it from her face as Svarog came up beside her. Lara glanced warily at him. "When will I get to see the Tok'ra?" she asked.  
  
"Soon." Svarog replied.  
  
Lara raised an eyebrow at him. "Do not try and manipulate me, Svarog." She said coldly. "Because I am a dangerous woman to cross."  
  
Svarog smiled arrogantly at her. "I hope the accommodations will be suitable." He said as he opened a door.  
  
Lara walked in, alert for a trap, but she found nothing. She glanced at Sam beside her as Janet shut the door on Svarog's smiling face. Sam shook her head slightly. She pointed discretely at the ceiling. Svarog could be listening in.  
  
"Mai'tac!" Lara snarled. "I do not like this."  
  
She walked around the opulent room. There was a chaise along the opposite wall to a large bed. A table covered in platters of food stood in the centre. Rich carpets covered the floor and tapestries hung on the walls. "Servant!" Lara snapped. "Bring me some wine."  
  
Sam walked forward and poured some wine into a goblet. When she handed it to Lara, Lara leant forward and whispered in her ear. "Can they see us?" she asked.  
  
"No." Sam said.  
  
"Good." Lara smiled.  
  
She turned to face Janet and Daniel. Giving them a series of hand signals, she told them to go looking for Jack and Jacob. They nodded. "Where did you learn how to do that?" Sam breathed.  
  
Lara grinned at her. "This isn't my first outing with the military, you know." She whispered back.  
  
"Servant." Lara said. "Go and find Svarog. Tell him I want to conclude our business."  
  
"Yes, my queen." Janet said in a meek voice.  
  
"Jaffa, go with her." Lara added.  
  
"Yes, my queen." Daniel said and left.  
  
Lara walked to the chaise and lay down, trying to feel and look like an arrogant Goa'uld. But she was wary and cautious. Svarog was up to something. What it was, she didn't know. Sam came and knelt by the chaise. "What should we do now?" she breathed.  
  
"Wait." Lara replied, just as softly. "We need to find out what Svarog is up to."

* * *

Author's Note: It's that wonderful time of year again...exam time. And because of that I'm going to be doing a lot of studying over the next week or so, and not a lot of writing. In fact, I should probably be studying now :(. I hope to have the next chapter up in about two weeks or so. I'll try and post it as soon as I can, anyway.

Cheeky.


	5. Five: Everyone Settles In

PART FIVE:  
  
Jack slumped to the floor in apparent exhaustion as the door to his cell shut with an echoing click. Svarog's Jaffa had led them on a twisting path to the bowels of the ship – where the prison cells and torture rooms were located. It seemed they came standard with every mothership.  
  
Once Svarog's Jaffa had made sure Jack's cell was securely locked, he left with a final glance at Teal'c. The look was almost pitying. Teal'c took up his post at the cell door. He stood in front ofit, partially turned so he could see the whole room and effectively blocking the path to the cell from the door to the room.  
  
They remained that way for a long moment, completely silent. Jack was still slumped on the floor of the cell, where he had fallen after he had been pushed inside. After what seemed like a hour, but was probably far less, he pushed himself up into a sitting position and surveyed the room outside his cell.  
  
The room was simple, with only one cell along the left hand wall. Along the right hand wall there were several torture devices – or what Jack supposed were torture devices. He didn't really want to think about exactly how they worked. The only other feature of the room was the door, most of which was blocked from view by Teal'c.  
  
"Well, looks like I rated the VIP room." Jack muttered.  
  
Teal'c didn't respond, or even move. Jack looked consideringly at him, before moving to sit on the bench that ran along the back of the cell. Another long moment of silence past. Dejected, Jack lay down on the bench. He realised that Svarog was probably listening in to the room, so talking to Teal'c was out off the question. And Jacob was nowhere to be seen.  
  
So where was he? Jack resisted the urge to call out to him, just to see if he could get a response. But he couldn't. He wasn't supposed to know Jacob was here. He let out a long sigh. He supposed he would just have to wait until someone came to see him. He just hoped it would be Lara, and not Svarog.

* * *

Jacob slowly became aware that he was once again lying on the cold, hard floor of his cell. His head was throbbing and he felt like he had been run over by a truck. He groaned softly and pulled himself up. Gradually, Jacob eased himself into a sitting position, as the world spun around him. When the room was finally still once again, he looked around and noticed it was empty.  
  
That was strange. Jacob had gotten used to the way there was always someone waiting for him when he woke up. His world was ruled by the pain those visits caused. Jacob wondered why no one was here. Had he woken up earlier than they thought he would?  
  
_No._ A familiar voice said in his mind. _They have not come.  
_  
_Do you know why?_ Jacob asked his Tok'ra companion, Selmac.  
  
_No. I do not._  
  
Realising that there was no point wondering about why they had not come, because he really had no idea, he began looking carefully around the room and tried to figure out a way to escape. The room was empty aside from his cell, and there was nothing he could use as a weapon or even something to jimmy the lock on the cell door.  
  
Because the door to the room was open, Jacob craned his neck, trying to see out into the corridor, hoping he might find a clue or a weapon. He found neither. Instead, as he watched, a tall man in a flowing white robe and Egyptian style makeup walked down the corridor and stopped in the doorway.  
  
Jacob tensed when he saw the staff weapon the man carried and the Goa'uld mark on his forehead. But there was something familiar about the mark, something Jacob almost recognised. AS he watched, the man smiled at him before turning around and leaving. But just before he did, the man could have sworn the man had winked at him.  
  
_Selmac, do you know who's mark that is?_ he asked his Tok'ra companion about the mark on the man's forehead. _It looks familiar somehow.  
  
It should._ Selmac said. _That is the mark of the System Lord Bastet._  
  
_Bastet?_ Jacob was surprised. _But the Tok'ra caught her. You don't think she had escaped, do you?  
_  
_Not unless Bastet has found a new First Prime._ Selmac said. _And there's some reason that First Prime would be winking at you._ Selmac added dryly.  
  
_You saw it too?_  
  
_Yes. And I would guess that we might have a friend or two onboard. Seems the cavalry has arrived, as you would say.  
  
Maybe it has._ Jacob agreed, thoughts of his daughter and her team mates flashing through his head.

* * *

Lara stalked from one end of the room to the other. She was frustrated. Janet and Daniel had been gone for almost an hour, and since then she had not seen any sign of them – or even of Svarog. As a result, she could feel her temper getting very short. The strain was beginning to get to her.  
  
_'I was never one for intrigue or disguises anyway.'_ She thought. _'I prefer situations where there is no hiding – just the challenge of using your wits and your skills to survive.'  
_  
"My queen, will you not sit down?" There was a slight edge to Sam's voice, urging Lara not to do anything to reveal them.  
  
Lara did as she had asked, lying down once more on the chaise, trying to resist the urge to get up and pace some more. She gratefully accepted the wine Sam handed her, just because it gave her something to do, rather than for what it was. "Is there any sign of my Jaffa?" Lara asked in an inhuman voice.  
  
"No, my queen." Sam answered.  
  
"And where is Svarog?" Lara snapped, more to the room and anyone who might be listening, than to Sam.  
  
"I do not know, my queen."  
  
At that moment the door to the room opened and Daniel walked in. "My queen, I was unable to find Svarog for you."  
  
Lara snarled wordlessly. "Where is my servant?" she snapped.  
  
"She is just behind me my queen." Daniel replied, his voice soothing, as if Lara really was an annoyed Goa'uld.  
  
Daniel quickly crossed the room to where Lara was sitting. She stood up as he got there, having seen the gleam in his eye. "I found Jacob." He breathed in Lara's ear. "He's in a cell down in the bowels of the ship. I think Jack is at the opposite end of the level, but I couldn't be sure because one of Svarog's Jaffa was on guard."  
  
Lara nodded at him, and he walked over to tell Sam what he had found out. As soon as he had done, the door swished open again and Janet walked into the room – along with one of Svarog's servants. Svarog's servant was dressed rather like him in breeches and a tunic. He appeared to be a young blonde man, but Lara couldn't be sure. Many things were deceptive when you dealt with Goa'uld.  
  
"My lady," the man began in a respectful tone. "My lord Svarog asked me to tell you that he wishes you would keep your Jaffa and servants with you at all times."  
  
"He dares tell me what to do!" Lara snapped, and the man flinched visibly.  
  
"He also says he will be ready to discuss the trade soon, Honoured One." The man continued.  
  
Lara shot a quick look at Sam, and she saw her slight nod. "No one tells me what to do! I am a Goddess! You may tell you master Svarog, that he will either come and talk to me now, or the deal is off!"  
  
"My lady, please, I beg you to have patience. My lord Svarog is only trying to offer you time to rest." The servant said.  
  
"I do not need rest!" Lara snapped, her eyes flashing white. "I see you thinks he can order me around. That is not so. Take me to him!"  
  
"My lady..." the servant began.  
  
"NOW!" Lara roared, half raising her left hand – on which she wore the hand device.  
  
The servant's eyes went wide with fear at the movement. "Yes, my lady." He said meekly.  
  
The terrified servant led the way out of the room, with Lara striding behind him, Daniel, Janet and Sam following. The servant led them down passage after passage, until he finally stopped outside a door. He paused a moment and sent a scared look over his shoulder, before opening the door. "My lord Svarog, honoured Bastet is here to see you."  
  
From deep inside the room there was a low, masculine chuckle. "I know. I have been expecting her."  
  
His words, along with the arrogance behind them snapped Lara's already fragile temper. And her anger just grew when the servant moved out of the doorway, revealing Svarog lying nonchalantly on a chaise, looking at Lara with barely disguised heat.  
  
"Why don't you leave your servants, Bastet, and join me for a meal?" he said.  
  
Lara felt the tension behind her as her friends waited for her response. She willed herself to remain calm. Too much rested on this for her to get mad and punch him. The lives of her friends were in her hands...as well as Jack's. The thought sobered Lara, and some of the anger faded away.  
  
She looked at Svarog, allowing a seductive smile to curve at her lips. "Why not?" she said, and stepped forward. The door shut behind her with a soft swish. 


	6. Six: Meetings and Enemies

**Part Six:  
**  
Lara felt the door shut behind her and tried not to seem nervous. She hoped that even close up Svarog would be fooled by her disguise. Despite Anise's assurances that she looked almost exactly like Bastet, Lara had her doubts. But she wasn't about to back down from a challenge, nor would she refuse to help her friends.  
  
Lara walked forward, apparently completely as ease. She kept her eye on Svarog as she put a seductive sway into her hips and saw his eyes darken. Lara felt her lips curve into a smug smile. It seemed even Goa'uld were not immune to a beautiful woman. She would use that to her advantage.  
  
"What do you want, Svarog?" she asked, her voice as husky as she could make it.  
  
"I would have thought that was obvious." Svarog said, as he eyed her, his gaze hot.  
  
"Tell me." She said, using the same ruse to distract him she had used before – although in slightly different circumstances. It had worked then, and Lara saw it was working now.  
  
"I thought we could...talk." Svarog said.  
  
"Talk?" Lara asked as she walked past him, just out of range, and continued to wander around the room.  
  
"Amongst other things." Svarog said.  
  
"Ah." Lara said, turning on him. "And here we get to the real heart of the matter." Her tone was no longer seductive, but angry. "Is all this an attempt to distract me from the worth of my trade and cheat me of the Tok'ra?"  
  
"No." Svarog was suddenly on his feet, and surprisingly, Lara got the feeling he was telling the truth – or as close to the truth as the Goa'uld got. "I never thought to cheat you, Bastet."  
  
"Then what did you want?" Lara let the anger fade from her tone.  
  
Svarog looked at Lara and smiled. "You are a beautiful woman, Bastet." He said. "As well as a dangerous one. I like that."  
  
Lara looked around the room that was so obviously set for seduction. "You want an alliance of sorts." She said.  
  
"Yes." Svarog said. "We are both powerful. And if we were ever to fight, I do not know who would win. All I want is that we form a truce. We do not fight each other."  
  
Svarog looked at Lara with a measuring glance. "I will not ask you to fight my battles." He continued. "Nor would I begin to suggest that you would need any help fighting your enemies. But perhaps we do not need to fight each other."  
  
"And what would we get out this arrangement?" Lara asked.  
  
Svarog just grinned. "I think you already know."  
  
Lara smiled back at him, but it was a slightly cruel smile. "Yes. I think I do." She paused for a second. "But should we not complete our trade first?"  
  
"Will you not have a drink first?" he asked, pouring wine into a goblet.  
  
She accepted it with a seductive smile and took a seat on the chaise Svarog had been lying on only moments before. She watched as Svarog poured himself a goblet and took a drink, before she sipped the wine herself. You could never be too careful.  
  
"What does the Tok'ra mean to you?" Svarog asked suddenly.  
  
The question surprised Lara. "He is my enemy." She said after a moment.  
  
"He must be more than that." Svarog said. "For you to go to so much trouble to have him."  
  
Lara glanced at Svarog, and saw the measuring way he was looking at her. "He killed my last First Prime." Lara said, her mind whirling to think of a credible answer. "I was fond of him. And he made a mockery of me to my people. I intend to show them what happens to those who defy me."  
  
Svarog nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer. Then he put his goblet down and walked right up to where Lara sat. "I don't feel like talking anymore." He said and reached out a hand to Lara.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Lara put her own goblet down, and placed her hand in his.

* * *

Sam, Janet and Daniel watched in concern as the door to Svarog's chambers shut, leaving Lara alone inside with him. The male servant took his opportunity and fled. Daniel looked in concern at Sam. "What do we do?" he whisoered.  
  
"We can't talk here." Sam replied. "Let's go."  
  
The three of them made there was down corridor after corridor until they found an empty room. After taking a look around, Sam turned back to Daniel and Janet. "We should be alright here for a moment." She whisoered.  
  
"What are we going to do?" Daniel asked.  
  
Sam sighed. "I don't know."  
  
"I think we'll just have to trust that Lara can handle herself." Janet said.  
  
Sam nodded. "And we should probably return to the room and wait for her." She added.  
  
Daniel nodded, but his face was still worried. "I hope she'll be alright." He said quietly.  
  
"So do I." Janet agreed.  
  
Sam looked at her two friends. "She'll be fine." She said. "As long as she doesn't hit him."  
  
Daniel smiled softly. "Yeah."  
  
The three of them made their way back to the quarters Svarog had given them, each lost in their own thoughts. They had just reached the door when a siren began to sound. The computer said something in Goa'uld, repeating, before falling silent once again. Sam turned to Daniel. "What's going on?" she whispered urgently.  
  
Daniel face was worried as he looked back at her. "There's another mothership approaching." He said. "And from what I can tell, they're not friendly."

* * *

Jack's head jerked up when the siren sounded. All the boredom and tiredness that he had felt for the past couple of hours fell away. "What's going on?" He asked Teal'c softly.  
  
"There is an enemy approaching." Teal'c replied, almost unconsciously bringing up his staff weapon.  
  
"Anything we can do?" Jack asked.  
  
"Not without making Svarog suspicious." Teal'c said.  
  
Jack growled in frustration, but remained where he was. A moment later he was glad he had, because one of Svarog's Jaffa ran into the room. He looked at Teal'c. "My lord Svarog says I must escort the prisoner to him." He said.  
  
"Why?" Teal'c asked.  
  
"The trade is complete." The Jaffa said. "You must let me pass."  
  
"No." Teal'c said. "My queen has not ordered me to do so."  
  
The Jaffa's face turned into a mask of anger and disgust. "Your so called queen is dead." He snarled. "And if you do not move, so are you."  
  
"I cannot let you do that." Teal'c said levelly.  
  
In response, the Jaffa charged his weapon and smiled cruelly. "I am almost glad you said that." He said, and fired. 


	7. Seven: Betrayal

**Part Seven:  
**  
The Jaffa's shot went wide. Teal'c's didn't. The man crumpled forward, his eyes glazed. "Nice shot." Jack said.  
  
Teal'c didn't reply. His sensitive ears had picked up the sound of more footsteps headed in this direction. A second later Jack heard them too. Teal'c aimed his staffweapon as three Jaffa burst into the room. They were all dressed differently to Svarog's Jaffa, in what could only be called blood red togas. Jack realised these Jaffa belonged to whichever Goa'uld was attacking the ship.  
  
Jack watched in horror as the three new Jaffa fired on Teal'c. Teal'c moved to the left, firing as he went. He caught one of the Jaffa in the chest, killing him. But Teal'c couldn't move quite fast enough. One of the staff blasts caught him in the chest near his right shoulder. He went down and did not move.  
  
Jack stared in shock at the still body of his friend, as the two remaining Jaffa approached his cell. Almost dazed, Jack looked around for some sort of weapon, but found nothing.  
  
"Do not think about trying to escape." One of the Jaffa said. "Goddess Kali does not want you dead, but she said nothing about wounds."  
  
So when the Jaffa opened his cell and dragged him out, he didn't struggle. He would wait. He needed to find the others. He needed to find Lara. And when he did, then there would be hell to pay.

* * *

Lara surged to her feet as the door swished open, and saw a beautiful woman with mocha coloured skin and wearing a black and gold sari. Svarog rose beside her. "Kali." He greeted.  
  
"Svarog." She replied. Then she turned to Lara, her voice angry. "Bastet."  
  
Svarog moved towards Kali, before he turned to stand beside her. "You were right, the lure worked." He said.  
  
With his words, Lara's suspicions were confirmed. She turned to him, her eye's flashing white. "You should not have betrayed me, Svarog." She said coldly.  
  
Lara felt herself growing cold as a deeper anger took hold. No one betrayed her without paying for it – regardless of who they believed she was. Lara had learnt that a long time ago.  
  
"You mean this 'agreement'?" Svarog asked, motioning to the room.  
  
"No." Lara said. "Our trade."  
  
Svarog laughed shortly; a cold cruel laugh. "Why settle for one when you can have both?"  
  
Lara smiled back at him, her smiled just as cold and cruel as his had been. "You may have them both for now," she began, "but you also have my promise that I will destroy you."  
  
Kali gave a cold laugh. "You cannot destroy us!"  
  
"Don't count on it." Lara replied.  
  
Kali's eyes flashed white. "Jaffa!" she snapped. "Take Bastet to my ship."  
  
"Yes, Goddess." A Jaffa replied, entering the room.  
  
He levelled his staffweapon at Lara while two other Jaffa grabbed her arms and dragged her from the room. As they did, she heard Svarog ask: "What shall I do with her Jaffa and servants?"  
  
"I don't care." Kali said. "They're yours to keep."  
  
Lara hoped everyone would be alright. But she couldn't help wondering what was going to happen to Jack and Jacob. And what was going to happen to her?

* * *

Jack winced as he hit the back wall of his cell with a thud. He sank to the floor as the Jaffa locked the cage with a ominous click. _Damn_, he thought. _That's the second time that's happened to me today.  
_  
"Jack?" a voice asked, as soon as the Jaffa were gone.  
  
"Jacob?" Jack looked up to see Jacob Carter leaning against the wall of the cell on the opposite side of the room.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Jacob asked.  
  
"Well, you know," Jack said. "I just had to come for the hospitality and service."  
  
"Very funny." Jacob said.  
  
"I thought so too." Jack said. He looked at Jacob and used hand signals to ask if anyone was listening in. Jacob shook his head in reply.  
  
"Well, the plan was to rescue you." Jack said.  
  
"And how'd you end up in a cell?"  
  
"Long story."  
  
"We've got plenty of time." Jacob said. "So why don't you tell me?"  
  
Jack looked at his friend. "Okay."  
  
"The original plan was simply for Bastet to escort me as her prisoner to a neutral planet and seemingly trade me for you." He began. "With, of course, SG-1 in disguises as the handmaidens and Jaffa."  
  
"Wait up. Did you just say Bastet?" Jacob interrupted.  
  
"Hey!" Jack replied. "I'm telling the story. Besides, I was just getting to that."  
  
Jacob raised an eyebrow, waiting for the explanation. "It wasn't really going to be Bastet – just someone who looked very much like her in disguise." Jack said. "Once the trade had been completed, we were all supposed to draw weapons and get you out of there."  
  
Jacob nodded, considering this. "Who'd you find to play Bastet? Janet?"  
  
"Nah, Doc's one of the handmaidens." Came the reply. "Hammond asked Lady Lara Croft."  
  
Jacob immediately sat up. "You brought in a civilian?" he snapped.  
  
"Hey!" Jack snapped back. "Lara's tough. She can handle it. Besides, it's not like she's never seen a Goa'uld before."  
  
"She has?"  
  
"Yeah." Jack smiled. "Saved my ass once or twice, too."  
  
Jacob looked surprised. "She must be something, then."  
  
"Oh, she's something, alright." Jack agreed.

* * *

Teal'c waited until Kali's Jaffa were gone before sitting up. He winced slightly at the sharp pain in his shoulder, but he wasn't too concerned. It had only been a glancing blow, and he could already feel it beginning to heal.  
  
Carefully and quietly, he got up and walked to the door, peering out into the corridor. Since there was no one in sight, he carefully slipped out into the corridor and began walking forward on silent feet. From what he knew of Goa'uld, he knew that Jack had been taken to Kali's ship. He was too valuable in her mind to leave here. As is the woman he knew as Bastet – Lara. But she would not believe that a two handmaidens and a single Jaffa were worth anything more than a passing thought. Which is why she would leave them here. And now all Teal'c had to do was find them. 


	8. Eight: Plans and Interrogation

**Part Eight:**  
  
Sam ran down the corridor, slipping quietly into a room just in time to avoid another Jaffa patrol. Svarog was making very sure there wasn't anyone around to be a nuisance. But so far, he hadn't managed to catch sight of any of them.  
  
Suddenly a large hand covered her mouth while a muscular arm snaked around her waist. She struggled for a second, but then she heard the words being whispered in her ear. "Major Carter, it is I. Teal'c." said a familiar voice.  
  
She turned and gave him a smile. "Teal'c." Then she frowned. "Where's the Colonel?"  
  
"He has been taken by Kali." Teal'c said softly.  
  
"Kali?" Sam echoed. "Is she the one attacking Svarog?"  
  
"Yes, but I believe the attack was a ruse. It seemed to me that Svarog's Jaffa were helping Kali's guard rather than hindering them."  
  
"Damn!" Sam swore. "This isn't good. Where is the Colonel now? And Lara?"  
  
"I do not know." Teal'c replied. "Where are Doctor Jackson and Doctor Fraiser?"  
  
"They're trying to find Svarog." Sam replied. "We're supposed to meet in five minutes."  
  
"I will accompany you, Major Carter. Perhaps we will be able to formulate a plan to rescue Colonel O'Neill, Lara Croft and Jacob Carter."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
The pair checked the coast was clear before slipping out of the room and heading down the corridor. The corridor was empty, as the patrolling Jaffa had seemingly decided it was empty. The half ran, half crept down corridor after corridor, until Sam ducked into a small room. Teal'c followed quickly and found Janet and Daniel waiting inside.  
  
"Teal'c." Daniel said as soon as he saw him. "Where's Jack?"  
  
"Kali has taken him." Teal'c replied.  
  
"Kali?" Daniel echoed.  
  
"She's was the one attacking the ship." Sam said.  
  
"Lara!" Janet said, suddenly worried.  
  
"Kali will have taken her as well." Teal'c said. "She has a great hatred for Bastet."  
  
"Why?" Daniel asked.  
  
"Because Bastet is the daughter of Ra and was his avenger for millennia; a position that Kali wanted greatly."  
  
"So she's taken Lara for revenge, and Jack and Jacob for information." Daniel said rather than asked.  
  
"Yes." Teal'c answered.  
  
"What about Svarog?" Janet asked.  
  
"I believe he is working with Kali." Teal'c said. "His Jaffa did not fire on hers."  
  
Daniel nodded. "Makes sense. She would do anything she could to obtain her goal."  
  
There was a moment of silence as everyone absorbed this sobering thought. "We need to get to Kali's mothership." Sam said.  
  
"But how?" Daniel asked. "She'd now if we used the rings."  
  
"I don't know." Sam said, frowning in thought.  
  
"I might have an idea." Janet said, and everyone looked at her in surprise. "What? I'm not just a pretty face, you know."

* * *

Lara grimaced slightly as the rings disappeared, leaving her trapped between two Jaffa far from her friends – Kali's ship. The Jaffa pulled and pushed her roughly down winding corridors until they came to a small room. The room was empty aside from a sarcophagus in the centre and chained manacles on the far wall.  
  
Thrusting her into the room, one of the Jaffa let go and moved off to the chains on the wall. Taking her opportunity, Lara struggled and kicked at the remaining Jaffa, but his grip was like iron. Before she could get away, he hit her on the back of the head hard enough for her to see stars.  
  
While she was still dazed, the Jaffa chained Lara to the wall and left the room. As soon as she was alone, Lara groaned in frustration. Dammit! Lara struggled at the chains, but they were too tight to get out off. Her wrists were soon rubbed raw where she pulled at them. Lara groaned again and resisted the urge to curse. She was on a strange ship, chained to a wall, far from her friends and there was a psychotic Goa'uld ready to kill her. Then Lara gave a wry smile. She'd been in worse.  
  
So what was she going to do? Lara gazed about the room, searching for a weapon, or something to free herself with. Then she remembered the knife strapped to her thigh! Kali and her Jaffa hadn't bothered to search her for weapons – only removed the hand device she wore. Lara grinned. She was very handy with a knife. All she had to do was get it.  
  
Unfortunately, Lara was interrupted by the arrival of Kali. Kali swept into the room, Jaffa behind her. "Are you comfortable Bastet?" she asked cruelly.  
  
Lara just gave her a cold stare. "No? Perhaps Mem'ac can change your mind." Kali said, gesturing to a large man in black, who was probably her master torturer.  
  
"No, thank you." Lara said. "I'm quite comfortable."  
  
Kali gave a short laugh. "What did you think, Bastet?"  
  
Lara looked at Kali and raised an eyebrow. "I think about a lot of things, Kali. What particular one did you mean?"  
  
"Hassac! I meant the trade!" Kali screeched.  
  
"I thought to trade what I had for something I wanted." Lara replied.  
  
"Why? Why were you so willing to trade the Tau'ri?" Kali snapped. "What were you planning?"  
  
"I planned nothing more than a simple trade." Lara said blandly.  
  
_'I will not get mad, I will not get mad.'_ She chanted in her head. She had to think of Jack and Jacob, still captured by Kali. She couldn't afford to provoke the Goa'uld.  
  
Kali gave a wordless screech of frustration and hit Lara across the face. "What were you planning?!"  
  
Lara blinked a few times, her ears ringing. Damn, those Goa'uld could pack a punch. "Nothing." She repeated.  
  
Kali looked at her, and tried a different tack. "Then perhaps I could as the Tau'ri. Colonel O'Neill, isn't that his name?"  
  
Lara said nothing as she felt her temper rise.  
  
"Perhaps he will be more cooperative." Kali continued. "If not..." she paused, smiling wickedly at Lara. "There are other ways a man can be persuaded."  
  
Lara snarled at Kali. "Have you already had the pleasure, Bastet?" Kali taunted.  
  
Lara growled at her, struggling once more at the chains as her temper broke free. The images of the things Kali would try on Jack, to get information were horrible – which made Lara want to hurt Kali very badly. "Don't you touch him!" she growled.  
  
Kali looked at Lara and gave a cruel laugh. "Yes, I believe you have." She stepped closer, until she was right in Lara's face. "And now I shall enjoy it even more."  
  
Lara saw red. Using the only thing she could, Lara lashed out and head butted Kali, breaking the Goa'uld's nose. "Oh no, you won't!" she said softly.  
  
"You will pay for that!" Kali roared steadied herself.  
  
Kali rose up the hand device she wore and held it just above Lara's forehead – and suddenly Lara's world was filled with intense pain. Pain greater than almost anything she had felt before, but a pain she remembered from her past experience with Goa'uld. Slowly, like the last time, everything faded to black.

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry guys, but I'm going away for a bit and won't have access to a computer. I know it's a horrible place to leave the story, but I haven't written the next chapter yet. It should be up in about a week, as soon as I get back. Cheeky. 


	9. Nine: Getting to Kali's Ship

**Part Nine:  
**  
Jack sighed with boredom. He hated this. His mind was churning with worry, making the whole experience of being stuck in a cage even more unpleasant. He was bored because he had seen no one since he had arrived here – and that was over three hours ago. And he was worried because Lara and his team were out there – along with about a million Jaffa and a Goa'uld System Lord.  
  
Jack sighed again, but this time it was of frustration. He had to find a way out of here so he could help! And so that maybe they could add another name or two to their list of _dead_ enemies. Which was growing longer all the time – not a bad thought really.  
  
Angry now at his inability to do anything, Jack got up and began pacing with a snarl. Back and forth, even thought it was only a few steps from the one side of his cell to the other. Back and forth. Finally, annoyed with him, Jacob snapped, "Jack! Stop it!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Pacing! It's going to drive me insane!"  
  
"Fine." Jack said sullenly and sat down with a thump. "Now what am I going to do?"  
  
"Sit still?" Jacob asked hopefully.  
  
"Sit still?!" Jack snapped. "While Lara and my team are out there getting hurt and maybe even killed? You really are crazy if you think I'd do that!"  
  
"No, not crazy." Jacob said. "Just hopeful. Pacing isn't going to help any of our problems."  
  
"No, but it makes me feel better." Jack said.  
  
There was a minute of silence between the two men, as they both tried to figure out what to do. But neither could think of anything that would really work. They had no weapons and no way of getting out of the cells. "Man, I hate this." Jack said after a while.  
  
"Me too." Jacob agreed.  
  
"Guess we just have to wait until they rescue us, huh?"  
  
"Seems like it." Jacob answered. Then he frowned. "Just what I need. To be rescued by my daughter...again! She still hasn't stopped teasing me about last time."  
  
Jack smiled at that. "Hey we could be lucky enough to be rescued by Lara." He said. Then he winced. "Although, I'm not actually certain that would be any better than being rescued by Sam."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Lara's rather proud, and the first time we met...well, I wasn't too flattering about her skills. She delights in proving just how capable she is."  
  
"She sounds just like Sam."  
  
"Oh, she is. They get on very well. And Lara can understand what she gabbles about most of the time." Jack said. "Did I mention she's an archaeologist?"  
  
"No, you didn't."  
  
"Yep. Although most people call her a Tomb Raider...or rather _the_ Tomb Raider. No one can beat her."  
  
"Tomb Raider?" Jacob echoed. "Oh, damn, You mean that Lara Croft?"

"Yeah." Jack grinned. "I take it from the look of shock you've heard of her then."  
  
"Oh, I've heard of her, alright. I was in Russia when she killed one of the sons of a rather large mafia family – Sergei Mikhailov. And destroyed a Russian nuclear submarine under the command of Admiral Yarofev. She certainly knows how to make an impact, doesn't she?"  
  
"Definitely." Jack agreed.

* * *

Sam, Teal'c, Daniel and Janet crept down the corridor towards the large golden door, tense and intent on their goal. Carefully they each lined up on each side of the door – Teal'c and Janet on the right, Sam and Daniel on the left. Silently, Sam slowly counted down.  
  
5. 4. 3. 2. 1. In a swift movement, Daniel slammed the button that opened the door and the four rushed in, zat's and staff weapons at the ready. The seven Jaffa in the room looked on in shock, and they managed to take down three before the other four grabbed weapons. Ducking for cover behind one of the consols, Sam managed to shoot another with her zat as Teal'c got another from behind.  
  
Now there were only two left. Unfortunately, it was at that moment that the door on the other side of the room opened and another four Jaffa came through. These were just as surprised as the first lot had been, but reacted quicker. Janet shot one of the Jaffa twice, before ducking behind a pillar as several staff blasts streaked through the space she had just occupied.  
  
Nodding to Teal'c, Sam crept around the edge of the room as Daniel and Janet kept the Jaffa busy, hoping to get behind them. Teal'c did the same on the other side of the room. Suddenly Janet cursed loudly behind them, and Sam turned enough to see Daniel pulling her behind a pillar. Sam hoped she was okay.  
  
Quietly, Teal'c and Sam kept moving, while Daniel valiantly tried to keep them occupied. He managed to wound one of the Jaffa, just as Teal'c got behind two of the others. He rose up and fired, not bothering to shout a warning. They both went down before they could turn.  
  
The other two Jaffa whirled around at the sound of staff fire, but Sam was already there. She managed to shoot one of them, but the other knocked the zat out of her hand with a well placed blow to her wrist. She gasped in pain at the impact and staggered back. But before the Jaffa could strike again, he was shot but another zat blast.  
  
The Jaffa crumpled forward, revealing a tired and pained looking Janet. She winced slightly as she lowered her weapon. "Are you alright Sam?" she asked.  
  
"I think so." I nodded.  
  
Daniel and Teal'c had just finished checking the room for other Jaffa, but it seemed it was empty. Daniel carefully locked both doors leading into the room, and Janet sank to the floor. Blood was already running down her arm form her shoulder. "Janet." Sam said. "Where were you hit?"  
  
"My shoulder, I think." She replied, stifling a wince.  
  
Sam rushed over and looked at it. "Just a glancing blow I think." She said. "Nothing serious, but it'll hurt like hell for a while."  
  
Janet smiled wryly. "Oh, yeah."  
  
Sam cleaned and wrapped the wound as best as she could with strips torn from the hem of her robe, When she was finished, she looked up to see that Teal'c and Daniel had finished hiding the bodies. Sam smiled as she got up. "Seems the bridge is ours." She said.  
  
"It is." Teal'c agreed. "Dr. Jackson, are you ready?"  
  
Daniel strode forward, wearing the clothes of one of Svarog's Jaffa. Thankfully, this included a leather headband embossed with Svarog's mark, which would effectively hide the mark of Bastet that had been drawn on his forehead. "Ready." Daniel said. "I think."  
  
"You can do it, Daniel." Sam said.  
  
Daniel smiled gratefully at her for a second, before walking to the main controls of the bridge. "Time to make yourself scarce." He said.  
  
Janet, Sam and Teal'c all walked over to the back corner of the room and hide behind a pillar. This way no one would now they were in the room. Daniel pressed a few buttons, before a screen popped up. It showed the slightly annoyed face of one of Kali's Jaffa.  
  
"Greetings, warrior of Honoured Kali." Daniel said in Goa'uld.  
  
"Greetings, warrior of Honoured Svarog." The Jaffa replied.  
  
"My Lord Svarog wishes to come aboard. He says there is something of great importance he must discuss with the Honoured Kali. May we have permission to board?"  
  
"You wish to use the rings?" Kali's Jaffa asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
He spoke briefly with someone off screen. "Very well. You have five minutes."  
  
Daniel nodded, bowed his head slightly and signed off. "Let's go guys." He said.  
  
Sam, Janet and Teal'c slipped out of the hiding spot and walked quickly over to him. "So it worked?" Sam asked.  
  
"Yes. Kali thinks it's Svarog trying to come aboard." Daniel said. "But we've only got a few minutes."  
  
"Right." Sam said.  
  
"Told you it was a good plan." Janet said.  
  
Daniel grinned. "You did." He said. "Now let's go."


	10. Ten: Planning Escape

**Part Ten:**  
  
Lara grunted in pain as Kali's fist connected with her stomach, driving the air from her lungs. She could feel pain burning like fire all over her body. Lara hadn't told Kali anything – which made Kali very angry. Hence all the bruises. All Lara knew was that she hurt...and that she was sick of people hitting her and yelling at her.  
  
"My Lady," a male voice said, breaking the haze of pain surrounding Lara.  
  
"What is it?" Kali's arrogant and annoyed voice snapped.  
  
"Lord Svarog has asked permission to come aboard."  
  
"Did he say why?"  
  
"Nay, my lady. It was his servant who spoke."  
  
"Very well." Bastet said, sounding annoyed. "I shall meet him in a moment."  
  
The servant knew when not to speak. He withdrew from the room in silence, knowing that Bastet had heard his message and quite content to get out of her sight, for she was not the most reasonable of leaders.  
  
Lara raised her head, slowly, and noting the dull throbbing pain along the right side of her face. She stared at Bastet, her gaze filled with all the hatred she felt for the _creature_ before her, who was so delighted in creating pain for others. But Lara knew that Bastet would not be in control for long. Once she had an opportunity, she would use it, and get out of there. And then she would rescue Jack and Sam's father, find the others and take great delight in destroying the Goa'uld who stood before her.

* * *

Daniel stood in front of Sam, and Janet, with Teal'c behind them facing in the opposite direction. All were tense and on the alert. Standing about a meter away were two of Kali's Jaffa and a servant. They appeared to be waiting for them. "Where is Lord Svarog?" the servant asked.  
  
Daniel merely shot him with a zat, while Teal'c spun around, his staff weapon lowering. One of the Jaffa went down, while Sam took out the second. "Come on!" she said. "They know we're here."  
  
"Right behind you." Daniel replied as the four of them ran into the corridor.  
  
They continued down the maze of corridors, tyring to get as far away from the ring transporter as they could. When Sam thought they had, she ducked into one of the many empty room on either side of the corridor, trying to stay out of the line of sight.  
  
"Okay." She whispered when they were all hidden. "Where would the Colonel and Dad be?" she asked.  
  
"Since they are both prisoners of great importance, they would be in the main holding room off the torture chamber." Teal'c replied.  
  
"How many guards?" Janet asked.  
  
"Ten, perhaps twelve." Teal'c said. "If Kali believes there is a risk."  
  
"And if she doesn't?" asked Daniel, ever hopeful.  
  
"Six."  
  
"That's still a lot." Sam said. "Six we could take out maybe. But ten? Twelve?"  
  
"Any other ideas?" Daniel asked.  
  
They all shook their heads. No one could think of anything just yet, and they knew time was running out. Soon, Kali would realise who had ringed onto her ship – and then she would send out Jaffa patrols to find them. They couldn't hide for long.  
  
"We could distract them." Daniel said finally.  
  
"With what?" Sam asked.  
  
"I don't know." He confessed. "But it's the only thing I could think of."  
  
Just then they heard footsteps in the corridor outside. The four ducked into the shadows of the room, praying the patrol would just walk past them. Thankfully they did. "Time to move out." Sam whispered once they had gone.  
  
"I agree." Teal'c said, and the four slipped out of the room and in the direction of the main torture chamber.

* * *

Jack sighed. "Any idea on how to get out of here?" he asked.  
  
"You've already asked me that, Jack." Jacob said. "And the answer is still no."  
  
"Come on. There's got to be a way." Jack grumbled.  
  
"Bored already, Jack?" Jacob teased.  
  
"No." Jack said. "I was bored two hours ago. Right now I'm way _beyond_ bored."  
  
"Well, Houdini, if you can get out of the cage you're in, I'd be pleasantly surprised."  
  
"Just wait." Jack said. "I'll think of something."  
  
Jacob smiled indulgently at the younger man. He was very stubborn sometimes, but even Jacob didn't think he could find a way out of the cage. Unless someone came to help them. It was always a possibility when dealing with SG-1, but Jacob was doubtful – simply because wherever they were, SG-1 probably had a few problems of their own.  
  
_Have faith in them, Jacob._ Selmac's kindly voice said in Jacob's mind. _They still have a few tricks up their sleeve, no doubt.  
_  
_A few tricks up their sleeve? Selmac, you're beginning to sound very human._ Jacob replied.  
  
_Must be you're bad influence_. She replied, somewhat primly.  
  
_No doubt about that._ Jacob replied.

* * *

Lara revelled in the blessed silence of the room – and the way all her injuries had dulled to ignorable level of pain. The Jaffa were outside her door, keeping guard, but she was briefly alone for now. Acting quickly, Lara stretched and pulled, twisting as she did so, until she could reach her hair with one of her hands. She quickly pulled one of the hairpins from her hair. They were rather elaborate and heavy things that Anise had insisted she wear. Lara hadn't liked it then, but now she was grateful they were there.  
  
Slowly, as not to drop it, Lara worked her numbed fingers around it, struggling to open it. She just managed to and carefully inserted it into the lock that bound her wrist. Lara smiled slightly. You never knew when lock picking skills could come in handy – she had certainly used them enough, though.  
  
After a few agonising minutes, Lara felt the lock slip open and gently eased her wrist out of it. Her shoulders protested the movement, shooting fire up her arms, but Lara gritted her teeth and kept moving. She had to get free. Rolling her shoulder to ease some of the stiffness and pain, she quickly worked on the second lock on her other wrist. Within moments, her other wrist was free and she slipped out of the rest of the chains.  
  
Gently placing the chains on the ground so as not to make a noise, she looked about the room and spotted the door she had noticed earlier. It was almost directly opposite the door which the Jaffa guarded, but Lara knew it had to lead somewhere. She had a gut feeling about it, and Lara had learnt a long time ago to trust her gut feelings.  
  
Glancing at the guarding Jaffa, she saw that their backs were to her and the room, so she slipped silently to the door and eased it open slightly. Lara slipped through quickly, noticing one of the Jaffa shift. Shutting the door, she prayed she hadn't been seen – and that the Jaffa hadn't noticed she was no longer chained to the wall.  
  
Lara was now in a long, narrow corridor. From the lack of major decoration she guessed this would probably been the path of the Jaffa or maybe the torturer...although, Lara still didn't really like thinking about that possibility.  
  
She continued down the corridor, until she came to another door. Lara eased it open, and noticed that it was hidden in shadow. Smiling softly, she slipped through, thanking her luck. Although, what she saw when she turned, made her stop. Since she was still in the shadows, none of the occupants noticed.  
  
"So, Jack. Are any of these friends of yours coming to rescue us?" said an unfamiliar male voice.  
  
"They'll be here." Jack said, now lying spread eagle on the floor of his cage.  
  
Lara looked at the man opposite Jack and guessed he was in his fifties. _That must be Jacob_. She thought.  
  
Smiling to herself, Lara stepped out into the dim light of the room. "One of them is already here." She said.  
  
She watched in great delight as Jack sat bolt upright, a look of absolute surprise on his face. "How did you do that?" he snapped. "I knew you were good, but I never knew you could just suddenly appear like that."  
  
"There's a door back there." Lara replied, amused.  
  
She turned to the other man and noticed a pair of familiar looking blue eyes regarding her curiously. "You must be Lara Croft."  
  
Lara inclined her head. "I am. And you are Jacob Carter." she didn't phrase it like a question. She knew it was him. "And we are getting out of here."  
  
"With pleasure." Jacob said.  
  
Taking the same trusty hairpin she had used before, Lara began picking the lock to Jack's cell. She didn't bother looking for a key, because she knew there wasn't one. "You know," Lara said as Jack's cell door swung open. "For a supposedly advanced race, the Goa'uld have pretty basic locks on these things."  
  
She turned and opened Jacob's cell with the same ease. "I mean, I could pick these things in about five seconds."  
  
Jacob was staring at Lara with a slightly bemused look. "Somehow, I don't think they've ever met someone like you before." He said.  
  
Lara raised an eyebrow in curiousity. "Oh?"  
  
He grinned. "Not even I can pick a lock like that."  
  
Lara shrugged. "I always make sure my skills are the best." she said.  
  
Jacob inclined his head to Lara, before shooting an amused glance at Jack. "You're right. She's definitely something."  
  
"Oh, she is." Jack agreed with feeling, making Lara smile.  
  
She turned back to them. "So boys, do you want to take the two guards on the left, or shall I?" 


	11. Eleven: Getting Out

Author's Note: Sorry this has taken so long, guys! I didn't mean for it to! Cheeky.

* * *

**Part Eleven:**

Jack grinned at Lara. "I'll take the one's on the left." He said.

Lara flashed him a challenging grin back. "Then I'll take the ones on the right."

Jacob, standing a few steps behind them, smiled indulgently. He remembered a time when he was like that, although he liked to think he was more grown up these days.

_:Just barely_.: Selmac told him.

Before Jacob could reply, Lara turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Ready?" she asked.

Jacob looked back at her. "What about weapons?" he asked.

"Oh." She smiled somewhat sheepishly at him. "Sorry. I forgot."

Jacob gave her a startled look as she lifted up her skirt and drew two long knives that had been strapped to her thighs. She handed one to Jacob and the other to Jack. Jack was giving her a speculative look. "What else have you got up there?"

Lara flashed him another grin. "Maybe I'll show you later."

Jacob cleared his throat softly. "Shall we get out of here, first?"

"Okay." Jack replied.

Silently, the three of them began creeping forward, until they stood in the shadows just behind the doorway. Jack shot Lara a look and Lara nodded back. Then, almost exactly at the same time, the two of them leapt out and attacked the guarding Jaffa. Jacob was only a beat behind them.

With a quick series of slashes, learnt back when he was a Special Forces soldier, Jack dealt with two of the guards before they could alert the others. He turned to attack the third as staff fire began to whiz around them. Jacob had also dealt with one of the guards, and looked up as three more came running in.

Lara, of course, was in her element. Using her sudden appearance, she shot past the Jaffa while Jacob and Jack attacked them from behind. She stood right in front of a Jaffa, a faint smile on her face. He swung at her with his staff weapon, and with the ease of long practice, Lara ducked under the swing and brutally wrenched the weapon from his grasp.

Turning quickly, she gave him two sharp blows to the head and sides, before sweeping his feet out from under him. She finished him with another blow to the head, as three more sets of footsteps entered the room. Lara didn't hesitate, but turned, whirling the staff over her head and stuck on of the remaining Jaffa on the temple. She followed it by a sharp blow to the groin and a kick to the gut, as she swung the staff at another Jaffa.

She knocked his staff weapon out of his hands, before finishing the Jaffa off with a few sharp moves. Warily, rising from her fighter's crouch, Lara looked around and noticed that Jacob and Jack had finished off the rest of the guards. She flashed them a smile, but suddenly Jack called out. "Behind you!"

Lara cursed herself for not noticing the footsteps behind her as she felt the tip of a staff weapon press into the base of her spine. "Drop the weapon." A male voice said in Goa'uld.

Lara obliged, a disgusted look on her face. What a stupid mistake. As soon as she heard the clatter of the staff weapon hitting the floor, she moved. She spun to the side, so the staff weapon was lying flat against her back before stepping forward, just as the weapon discharged. She saw Jack and Jacob dodge the blast out the corner of her eye. Not hesitating for a second, she used her momentum and sent a fast roundhouse kick at the Jaffa's head.

The Jaffa was so surprised, he didn't even register the blow until it forced him to stagger sideways. Lara sent another roundhouse, and the Jaffa turned slightly to avoid the blow. She swung a punch at his head, but he dodged it and caught her with his arm around her throat. Lara sucked in a breath as she felt the muscular arm put pressure on her windpipe. Completely annoyed now, Lara dropped down into a crouch and twisted her body, so that her throat was facing the Jaffa's elbow.

She sucked in another breath, before slamming her elbow backwards into the Jaffa's gut. He grunted in pain as Lara slid out of his loosened grasp. Grabbing his arm, she twisted it behind him in a painful grip, before kicking out his knee. Then Jaffa gasped in pain, as he went down onto his knees. Lara gave the Jaffa's elbow a hard chop, forcing it to bend, until his arms was more securely twisted behind his back. Using her free hand, she grabbed the Jaffa's hair and slammed his head viciously into the wall. The Jaffa slummed heavily to the floor, unconscious.

"Impressive." Jacob said, admiration in his eyes as Lara looked over.

Still breathing a little heavy from the exertion, Lara merely shrugged. "I've done it before." She said.

Jack just flashed her a grin. "Nice work, Croft." He said.

At that moment, the trio heard four sets of footstep running in their direction. Grimacing, Lara turned towards the sound, as the adrenaline ebbed and she began to feel the pain running through her body. She had probably pushed it a bit too hard after the beating she had just had. She knew she would pay for it later. Lara just hoped it was a lot later.

Lara grinned in relief, rising from her fighter's crouch when she saw who it was. "Whoa." Daniel said, coming to a halt in front of them. "So much for the rescue."

"Dad!" Sam said, giving her father a quick hug. "Sir." She said to Jack.

Janet and Teal'c nodded their greetings, as Daniel looked around at the bodies around them. "Wow." Was all he said.

"I hate to cut this party short." Jack said. "But I think we need to get moving."

"I agree." Jacob said.

Everyone moved off down the corridor in silence, until they were far enough away to be bypassed by most of the patrols headed towards the cells. "So, what's the plan, sir?" Sam asked as soon as they were hidden.

"Well, we need to get off this ship." Jack said. "Any ideas how to do that?"

"The rings will be heavily guarded, O'Neill." Teal'c said. "I do not suggest we use them."

"I agree." Jacob said. "It would be too dangerous."

"Then how are we going to get off the ship?" Janet asked.

There was a moment of silence as everyone tried to think of an answer. "What about flying some gliders out?" Lara asked. "Could we get that many?"

"We could..." Jack trailed off, lost in thought. "Jacob?"

"It's definitely possible, and by now the hanger bay would be far less guarded than the rings." Jacob agreed.

"Fine." Jack said. "It's agreed then. Unless anyone has any problems?"

No one did. "Alright," Jack continued. "We'd better split up, so we're harder to find. We'll meet everyone outside the hanger bay. Sam, you, Janet, Jacob and Daniel take the quickest route. Teal'c, Lara and I will take the slower one and try and run interference."

"Yes, sir." Sam replied.

"Okay, let's move out." Jack said.

Sam, Janet, Daniel and Jacob slipped off quickly, going straight to the hanger bay – or at least as straight as they could. Jacob, knowing the layout of a mothership rather well, was in the lead, with Daniel and Janet following and Sam at the back.

* * *

It took close to half an hour to make their way to the hanger bay, and by the time they got there, Sam was nearly trembling with all the tension. Her muscles were in knots and her palms were sweaty. There had been a few close calls, where only standing absolutely still or a well placed shadow had prevented them from being detected. And by now, the general alert had been raised. Kali knew her prisoners had escaped.

Sam waited nervously near the hanger bay doors, but there was no sign of the Colonel, Lara or Teal'c. "Where are they?" she whispered, shooting her father a concerned look.

"I don't know." Jacob replied. "I'd give them five minutes, and then were going to have to try on our own."

Sam nodded, hoping Jack would get there soon. She didn't really want to leave the ship without them. Just as she was about to give up hope, she saw Teal'c round the corner before them.

"Teal'c!" she whispered.

"Major Carter." Teal'c said, coming to crouch near her. "I have orders from O'Neill." He told her, his face grave. "He and Lady Croft have been captured by Kali and have order us to leave the ship."

"Leave?" Sam asked, surprised. "We can't just leave them here!"

"O'Neill said that he and Lady Croft would find their own way off the ship."

Sam watched Teal'c serous face. It sounded like something the Colonel would say, but still, Sam was reluctant to leave. The first lesson Sam had learnt from him was never to leave a man behind. "Teal'c..." she began.

"Major Carter, I understand how you feel, but we must leave. No one knows where we are. If we manage to escape we will be able to come back with reinforcements. But if we stay, there is a strong possibility we will be captured as well."

Sam nodded. Teal'c was right. So, with a heavy heart and a guilty feeling she just couldn't shake, Sam gave the order, and they began to attack the hanger bay.


	12. Twelve: Captured Again

**Author's Note:** Sorry this is such a short chapter! And thanks to jmcgk6, SpaceMan546, JD alien freak, rickW22 and Josh for your reviews. Very much appreciated!

Cheeky.

* * *

**Part Twelve:**

Teal'c and Jacob stormed inside as soon as Sam had opened the large doors, but there were only two guards inside...hardly much of a challenge. Daniel and Janet brought up the rear as the five of them entered the hanger bay and shut the doors.

"Teal'c, can you handle one of these things on your own?" Sam asked him.

"Indeed, Major Carter." Teal'c replied.

"All right." Sam replied. "Daniel, you're with me. Janet you go with Dad."

Janet and Daniel nodded, as Jacob just looked at Sam curiously. "We're just going to leave?"

Sam looked at her father with anguish in her eyes. "What else can I do, Dad?" she asked. "Teal'c is right. We have to get out of here so General Hammond and the SGC know what's going on."

"I know..." Jacob began.

"It just goes against the grain, I know." Sam said.

Jacob nodded, before heading towards the nearest glider, Janet right behind him. Sam headed for another glider, where Daniel was waiting, and Teal'c had already him. "Does this seem too easy, to you?" Sam asked Daniel as she walked up.

"I was just thinking that." Daniel answered.

It was just at that moment that the hanger bay doors burst open and several Jaffa burst in. Sam and Daniel shared a wry glance, before sprinting into the glider. "You were saying, Sam?" he said.

"Dammit!" Sam cursed as she started up the glider, her hands flying over the controls.

Teal'c already had his glider powered up, and Jacob wasn't far behind. Teal'c opened fire on the Jaffa, the glider's larger weapons doing far more damage than the Jaffa's staff weapons. While Teal'c was keeping the Jaffa busy, Jacob had succeeded in opening the other set of hanger doors. Sam glanced at the seemingly open stars in front of them, the only barrier being a small force field.

Sam couldn't help but feel a small shiver of anticipation as she manoeuvred the glider until it was facing directly out. "Let's get out of here!" she said into her radio.

Not waiting for the other's replies, Sam zoomed out of the hanger bay and into open space...Teal'c and her father only seconds behind her. They were away.

* * *

Lara groaned, and then winced as she felt new pains throbbing about her body. "Not again!" she mumbled.

Opening her eyes, Lara found herself slumped on the floor of a cage. She sat up slowly, the world spinning around her for a minute. "My head!" she groaned again.

Carefully, Lara tried to reach up a hand to check her head for wounds, only to find they were chained behind her back. Frowned, Lara remembered the last thing she could...getting hit but a blast from a zat gun. Dammit! That meant she had bee captured...again. This wasn't good.

"It's worse than a hangover, isn't it?" a familiar voice said.

Lara looked up to see Jack sitting again the back wall of another cage, opposite her. "I wouldn't know," she replied. "I don't drink that much."

"Really?" Jack asked. He looked a lot better than Lara, but still a little battered and bruised.

"You can't shoot straight when you're drunk."

"Trust you to find the aggressive reason." Jack commented.

Lara raised an eyebrow, almost sceptically. "And you, of course, can shoot straight when you're drunk?" she asked.

"I wouldn't know." Jack said. "I don't usually have to shoot people when I'm drunk."

Lara smiled. "You're missing out then."

"Oh, I'm sure."

The pair into silence, and Lara stretched slightly, wriggling into a more comfortable position. "What's with your arms?" Jack asked.

"They're chained behind my back." Lara replied. "It seems Kali doesn't want to take any chances with me."

Jack looked slightly surprised. "She didn't chain me."

Lara gave a wicked grin. "Well, you didn't manage to slip out of chains the last time either."

Jack just shook his head. "Are you sure you don't wanna come work with us?" he asked. "Think of the travel."

Lara grinned. "I'll think about it."

The pair would have continued their conversation and good natured bantering, but it was at that moment that Kali walked in, flanked by four Jaffa. Two of the Jaffa broke away and aimed their weapons at Jack and Lara.

"Did you think it would be so easy to escape, Bastet?" Kali asked. "Did you think it would be so easy to betray me?"

"I betray you no more than you betrayed me." Lara said, her voice going back to being the inhuman voice of the Goa'uld.

"Is this human so important to you?"

"No." Lara said coldly. "But the information he knows is."

Even though Lara knew that she had to keep up the pretence of being a Goa'uld so Kali would not suspect who was really behind this, Lara never the less felt bad at reducing Jack to a mere object. Because he was so much more than that, especially to her.

"Are you willing to barter your freedom for it?" Kali asked.

Lara looked at Kali, and saw the cold, cruel expression over the beautiful features. "You will not give me my freedom, Kali. I will not play your games by pretending so."

Kali looked faintly surprised that Lara had judged her so rightly. "You always were clever, Bastet." She said. "But not even your cleverness can get you out of this."

"Maybe not." Lara said. "But I will never give in."

Lara sat impassively under Kali's gaze, meaning what she had just said. This might not be a situation she could get herself out of, but at least she would never give in. She would keep trying to get out of there until they killed her.

Kali turned and walked away, before turning back to Lara. "I just thought you might want to know that your servants have fled from the ship." She said. "But I wouldn't worry. They will soon be dead. My Jaffa will make sure of that."

Lara struggled to keep her face impassive, cold even, when inside she was grinning. Sam, Daniel, Janet, Jacob and Teal'c had gotten away! Maybe everything was not lost after all... But until the came back with reinforcements, Lara would just have to make sure that she and Jack caused as much trouble as possible.


	13. Thirteen: This Is War

**Part Thirteen:**

Lara raised her head at the sounds of footsteps coming down the hall. It had been about two hours since Kali had last spoken to them, and Lara figured that the reason they hadn't been back sooner was that Sam, Teal'c and everyone had been giving them problems.

Jack had stopped talking to her a while ago in order to try and get some rest. He thought he would probably need it. Lara had tried the same, but she lacked the same ease Jack had of being able to fall asleep at will. A fact she was slightly envious about.

Four Jaffa appeared at the door to the room. Cautiously they approached Lara's cell and opened it. "Come with me." One of the Jaffa said.

Lara shot a glance at Jack's cage, and saw he was awake once more and staring intently at what was going on. Before Lara could get to her feet, two of the Jaffa had entered her cell and yanked her to her feet. She struggled vainly, but their grip just tightened.

Lara was frog marched out of the room and down a long corridor to an opulent room. Standing in the centre of the room was Svarog. The guards let her go and she merely stood just inside the doorway as the Jaffa left. They couldn't be serious? Leaving her alone...with Svarog? Did they want her to escape?

Then Lara caught the look in Svarog's eyes. Ah, Svarog wasn't concerned with escape, but with something else instead. It just seemed so typically...male. Lara mentally shook her head. When would they learn? Not all women were meek, defenceless things. Especially not Lara Croft.

"Bastet." Svarog said, running his eyes over Lara's figure. "We don't need to fight, you know."

"Oh?" Lara arched a brow.

"I can put in a good word for you." He continued, walking forward. "With Kali."

"Can you really?" she asked.

"Oh, yes." By now Svarog attention was not on her face...and he was standing very close to Lara.

Svarog took the final step forward, finally dragging his eyes back to Lara's face. "So beautiful." He murmured, raising a hand to touch Lara's face.

Lara shut her eyes, not in pleasure or fear, but rather to hide her absolute disgust. That was it; the final straw as it were. Lara had not come halfway through the galaxy – if not the universe – to be beaten up and hit on by some intergalactic sleaze. Or some power mad cow.

Her mouth curved into a sneer as she lashed out. Lara viciously kneed Svarog in the balls he was so obviously thinking with, before head butting him in the face. Lara finished off by knocking him out with a quick snap kick.

Svarog fell to the ground heavily. Lara looked at him in disgust. The man couldn't even take a punch...despite claims he was some sort of God. Lara had seen gods before, and they could take their blows better than that.

Shrugging, Lara wriggled her wrists, but the chains would budge. And, sadly, Svarog didn't have any keys or bolt cutters on him. Lara sighed, and sat down on the floor. With a quick wriggle and twist, Lara manoeuvred her arms so they were now bound in front of her rather that behind her. She took a second to thank her gymnastics training.

Lara tugged uselessly at the chains, but it was no use. The chains held tight. So how was she going to get free? It wasn't as if she could just slip out of them. Frowning, Lara took a second or two to study the chains binding her wrists, and noticed something startling. There wasn't any lock!

"Well, that's great." She muttered. "How am I supposed to get these stupid things off?"

Snarling with frustration, Lara began to tug uselessly at the chains again – and, not surprisingly, nothing happened. Lara transferred her annoyed glare to Svarog's unconscious body. "Why couldn't you just go along with everything for once?" she asked him. "Why the bloody hell did you have to go and get greedy?"

Svarog didn't answer, but then he was unconscious.

Sighing, Lara examined her chains more closely. She wished she had been awake when they put them on. Then she frowned. 'Come on! Think Lara!' she chided herself. 'You've been in tougher situations than this!'

And indeed she had been. Getting out of the chains required a little thought, that's all. Lara grinned when an idea struck her. It could work. Twisting her hand a little, Lara winced slightly as the chains pinched her skin. Gradually she manoeuvred her hand until she could slip it out of one of the chains. She wriggled it, biting her lip at the pain, but then it was free. The rest of the chains went slack and they dropped to the floor at her feet after a moment.

Wincing, Lara looked down at her raw and bleeding wrist. It wasn't serious by any means – but it still stung. Lara knew that she only had a few moments to get out of there, because Svarog would be waking up soon – and she knew Kali hadn't exactly approved of this little meeting and she would be checking on her prisoners soon.

But first things first. Lara cocked her head to the side, considering. This was war...so she might as well get rid of her disguise. Somehow she didn't think she would need it anymore – or that the Goa'uld would be alive for long enough to realise anything, anyway.

Lara removed the cat headed circlet from her head and the rest of the pins from her hair. She then bent slightly and ripped off most of her flowing skirt, knowing it would just get in her way. The remainder barely covered the tops of her thighs and revealed the knife sheaths on her legs (complete with knives), but Lara didn't think it was any different than wearing those thoughts of hers.

Tearing a strip of material from the discarded skirt, she bound her raw wrist. She used another strip to secure her hair, her nimble fingers having expertly braided her hair in a few moments. Deeming herself as ready as she could be, Lara devoted her energy to finding a way out of the room.

Unfortunately, she couldn't find one apart from the door. It seemed the Goa'uld didn't believe in vent shafts. But then, Lara hadn't thought they would. It seemed Lara would have to fight her way out – again. She rolled her eyes. Why was it always the same?

But she had to smile slightly. It's not as if she didn't enjoy the adrenaline and challenge of a fight...she just wondered why it always turned out to be the only option. Was it just her?

Lara shook her head. Time was slipping away. She didn't have time for analysing. She had to act. And being a woman of action, it wasn't something she was reluctant to do. Drawing her knives in each hand, Lara made her way to the door. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling the adrenaline already pumping through her body. She felt faster and stronger, her many pains fading.

Slamming the control to open the door, Lara spun out into the corridor, catching the two guards by surprise. She whipped one of the knives in an upward motion, slicing his throat as she turned again, swinging the other knife in an opposite arc. She caught the second guard in the stomach, and the second knife sliced his throat a second later. It was over in seconds, neither guard having an opportunity to utter a sound.

Lara raised an eyebrow at the easiness of the situation, and wished for her guns. She missed the weight of them in her hands, and the satisfying noise they made when she pulled the trigger. But they would have betrayed the fact she wasn't who she was pretending to be, so she had left them back on Earth. It was a shame though.

Lara began running down the corridor, her bare feet silent on the cool metal. She had to find Jack and get him out of his cage (again) so he could help her. Not even she could take on an entire mothership by herself. She grinned at the idea. It would certainly surprise her enemies.

Just before Lara reached the room containing Jack's prison cell, she skidded to a halt. She could hear the loud and precise footsteps of a Goa'uld patrol coming towards her. She looked around for somewhere to hide, but could find no rooms near her. And sooner than she expected, the Goa'uld marched around the corridor.

Since there was nothing else she could do, Lara ran forward, just as one of the Jaffa let out a shout. Snarling, she spun, whirling the blades through the air, silently thankful of all the time she had spent learning the skill. Unlike many professions, Lara knew that she might one day have to rely on a less modern for of fighting. Guns didn't always work on the things she fought.

But the patrol of six Jaffa was almost too much for her. By now, Lara was tired and sore and coming to the end of her remarkable endurance. But what Lara didn't have in endurance, she had in willpower. She wasn't the type of woman who would just give up.

Lara spun, kicking out with her feet and staying close to her opponent, trying to avoid the range of the staff weapons they carried. Another Jaffa fell as she got lucky with a slash to his unprotected throat. That only left three, but as Lara's breath was coming out in ragged breaths, she wasn't sure she could take them all.

Then Lara thought of Kali's cruel smile and arrogance; her perceived superiority. And Jack waiting in his cell. Maybe it was a flaw, but Lara had always felt the need to prove to those that believed they were superior that they weren't. She wasn't going to let Kali get away from this. And she had to rescue Jack, if he hadn't already found a way out. She couldn't just leave him behind.

So Lara gritted her teeth and drew on some strength she hadn't even known she had. Her movements got sharper and more controlled. Spinning her blades, Lara kicked one of the Jaffa, sending him stumbling backwards as she slashed up and under another. The Jaffa dropped his staff weapon with a curse, as Lara's knife bit into his wrist.

She turned the knife in her grip, thrusting it in and up on an angle. The Jaffa gasped shallowly as he stared down in amazement. Lara released the grip on the knife now embedded in the Jaffa's chest, and slashed the other at one of the two remaining Jaffa. He blocked with his staff weapon, but Lara was already moving.

She sank into a low crouch, one of her legs snaking out and sweeping the Jaffa's feet out from under him. He fell to the floor with a crash. Lara was on top of him in a second, her remaining knife slicing his throat. Suddenly, Lara was grabbed from behind and thrown backwards.

She tumbled across the floor, coming to rest face down on the ground. She pushed herself up on her hands and turned her head to glare at the last Jaffa left. He was without a staff weapon himself, and as she watched, he bent down and picked one up.

Lara rolled to her feet in a quick, graceful movement, keeping her knife held in front of her. The Jaffa twirled the staff threateningly in his hands as Lara watched. Suddenly she was reminded of the last time she had been of Earth, and the warrior she had faced in the dirt ring.

But the Jaffa looked nothing like Alvis had, and Lara was way more pissed of now than she had been then. Either way, it didn't spell good news for the Jaffa. Lara circled the Jaffa for a moment, before darting in with surprising speed. She slashed at his leg, spinning, and elbowed him in the kidneys from behind. Then Jaffa grunted in pain, and thrust the staff behind him.

Lara flipped away from the blow, and noticed something metallic out the corner of her eye. Her lip curved in a slight smile. Her other knife. She grabbed it from where it was still sticking out of the other Jaffa and whirled to face the remaining Jaffa.

It was just in time, as the Jaffa had crept forward and thrust his staff at her again. Lara deflected the blow with one of her knives, spinning out of its way. She used her momentum and the other knife to slice his stomach in a similar move to one she had used before. As the Jaffa bent to clutch his stomach, Lara thrust her knife into the back of his skull, killing him.

She ripped the knife from the Jaffa's corpse and staggered slightly, both with tiredness and the effort it had taken to wrench the knife from where it had stuck in the bone. Panting with exertion, Lara stayed in the crouch she had fallen in, her head resting on one of her knees. God, she was tired. The fight had taken a lot more out of her than she had expected.

Then the hairs on the back of Lara's neck stood on end as she heard a familiar laugh. The cruel sound seemed to echo around her. "I'm impressed, Bastet." Kali said.

Lara raised her head, glaring at the woman she found standing in front of her. "Kali." She said in a low voice, her tone promising death.

If Kali felt any fear, she did not show it. "It seems I underestimated you, and over estimated Svarog." She said.

Lara stood slowly, willing her breath to slow and her muscles to work. "Well, Kali." She said. "You forgot one thing: I was not known as the Avenger without reason."

And Lara Croft was not a woman who left enemies alive.


	14. Fourteen: Showdown

Author's Note: Sorry this has taken so long, but I had so much homework and my tutor's are starting to give me evil looks...I so had to do it! And it hasn't helped that I almost broke my finger on the weekend and therefore cannot type! Btw, thanks for all your reviews. It's really nice to hear from you.

Cheeky.

* * *

**Part Fourteen:**

"There appears to be a glider squadron in pursuit." Teal'c said over the radio.

"I see them." Sam said. "Dad..."

"I'm on it." Jacob said, falling back.

Teal'c followed him. He was, by far, the most experienced glider pilot, but Jacob and Sam weren't that bad either. Sam couldn't help by smile as she piloted the glider. It felt great to be flying again.

The squadron gained on them quickly, the five gliders flying in precise formation. "Watch your backs boys and girls." Jacob said.

"Indeed." Teal'c agreed. "The pilots will try and separate us in order to destroy us one by one."

Just as Teal'c spoke, the lead glider began to fire on them. Teal'c peeled away, before coming up behind the squadron, firing as he went. "Follow me Sammie." Jacob called, following Teal'c.

Sam followed her father as the squadron split into two. Two gliders took off after Teal'c, while the other three began to follow Jacob and Sam. "Whoa." Daniel groaned as Jacob manoeuvred wildly, trying to avoid the glider fire.

"You okay, Daniel?" Jacob barked as the glider spun and weaved.

"I think we left my stomach back there." Daniel groaned.

"Just hang tight." Jacob said.

Meanwhile, Sam was ducking and weaving to avoid the glider on her tail. But he was hanging tight and she couldn't seem to shake him. "Damn it!" she muttered under her breath. "Quit it, will you?"

"Major Carter." Teal'c asked, breaking through her thoughts. "I require some assistance."

"I'm coming Teal'c." Sam said, dodging glider fire.

Quickly scanning the area, Sam spotted Teal'c chasing a glider while another followed behind. Sam sped towards Teal'c, dodging all the while. It didn't take long to reach him, and just as she did, Teal'c managed to destroy the glider he was chasing. The glider exploded in a ball of fire.

Sam began chasing the glider behind Teal'c, trying to keep both it in her sights, as well as avoid the one behind her. She drew on all the experience and training she had from her previous combat flights. Although, it all seemed a little different in space.

Grimacing as she took a hit from the glider behind her, Sam finally hit the ship that had been chasing Teal'c. "Major Carter, are you alright?" Teal'c asked.

"I'm fine." Sam said. "It was just a glancing hit. Janet?"

"I'm okay." Janet replied. "Just a little nauseous."

Teal'c dealt with the glider still chasing Sam quickly, before coming up to fly by her wind. "Where's Dad?" Sam asked.

"To the left!" Jacob's slightly harried voice snapped. "And some help would be nice!"

Sam and Teal'c raced towards him, firing at the remaining two gliders. The combination of Jacob, Teal'c and Same soon reduced them both to piles of floating debris. "Is everyone all right?" she asked.

"I am uninjured, Major Carter." Teal'c said.

"I'm fine, Sam." Jacob said. "Nice flying by the way."

"Thanks Dad." Sam replied. "Daniel? Janet?"

"I think I'm still alive." Daniel groaned. "But my stomach isn't."

Janet chuckled. "I'm fine, Sam."

"All right, let's get out of here then." Sam said.

"I suggest we head for a planet I know." Jacob said. "It's not far, and it has a stargate."

"Good idea." Sam agreed. "Why don't you lead the way?"

* * *

"So, Bastet...you finally face me at last." Kali sneered.

"No." Lara said, her voice still the inhuman one of a Goa'uld. "Now I finally kill you."

Lara watched as Kali removed her sari, choosing not to answer Lara's statement. Underneath, she wore a small, blood red sari, edged in gold. Kali also removed her sandals. When she was finished, she motioned a servant forward. The man cringed and came forward, a soft pillow held in front of him, almost reverently. As Lara watched, Kali reached over and took hold of what was on the pillow: a pair of elegant and deadly sais – three pointed daggers, favoured by the nobles of Ancient Egypt.

She twirled them in the air in front of her, and Lara noted her skill with the blades. Inwardly, she winced. This wasn't the best thing that could be happening right now. Lara was tired, sore and hungry...but she was also way beyond pissed off. Lara could feel the anger in her blood, lending her strength and clarity.

Kali motioned for another servant to come forward as well, another pillow clasped in his trembling hands. "While your knives may be efficient, Bastet." Kali said, no longer with the arrogant sneer, but instead with a steely determination. "But I think that gods should fight each other with elegant weapons."

Lara gave Kali a level and considering glare. She was telling the truth. Kali truly believed that this fight would be special...some sort of fight between gods. Lara gave a wry smile. Perhaps the fight was special, but it was hardly an epic battle between titans. It was a fight, without rules, without fairness or equality. It was a fight to the death between two mortals who bleed and died as easily as the rest – well, perhaps not as easily as some, but they were mortal all the same.

Lara gave Kali a nod and placed her knives on the pillow, before picking up the sais. The sais really were elegant weapons. They were light and graceful, perfectly balanced and so sharp they could split a hair. It had been a long time since Lara had seen a pair as good as these, though. She had always been after a pair for herself, but had never managed to find a pair she liked well enough.

"Do you remember how it was, Bastet?" Kali's voice broke through her thoughts. "Back when Ra was still King and we ruled the universe?"

Lara didn't, of course, but she knew enough about Egypt and the Goa'uld in front of her to guess. And Bastet had always been one of her favourite Egyptian gods – the cat headed Avenger, daughter of Ra. "Yes, I remember." Lara said. "I remember standing by Ra's right hand, looking down on all the petty Goa'uld trying to gain power without knowing the true meaning of it. And I remember destroying all who dared offend and attack my father, Ra."

It was then that Kali's voice turned into a mask of hatred. "You always sat there, so smug and arrogant." She sneered. "Killing for Ra, loving him. But I was known as the Destroyer too! I could have done it so easily. If not for you..."

Kali trailed off and glared at Lara. "You never knew how much I hated you. You never cared, then. You just killed and tortured for him. Never questioning why."

"He was the Father of us all, Kali." Lara snapped back, hoping it was indeed true. "He was only to be loved and obeyed. We had no other task, unless he gave us one."

Kali sneered at Lara. "Be that as it may, Bastet." She spat. "But now we will prove once and for all who is better. Who it always should have been!"

Lara merely gazed straight back at Kali, but inside she suppressed a shiver of fear. The light in Kali's eyes as she had talked of what she thought should have been hers; it had been almost fanatical in its hatred. And that was not good for Lara, because Lara would have to make sure Kali was _very_ dead before she could walk away from this fight.

And to make matters worse, she would have to do it quickly – because Lara didn't know how long she would last otherwise. As if her day couldn't get any worse.

* * *

Jack groaned softly. Man, he was getting so tired of this. He was just sick of always finding himself in some bloody cage somewhere. And to make matters worse, Lara was out there somewhere, facing who knows what.

Just as Jack was about to start pacing his cell once more, two Jaffa walked into the room. "Lord Svarog would like to see you." One said levelly.

Jack just glared. "Oh, I just bet he would." He snapped.

"You will come with us." The Jaffa continued.

"Like hell I will." Jack muttered, but when along with the directions.

The two Jaffa escorted Jack to a room, before leaving him alone. Jack watched curiously as he spotted Svarog, who seemed to be holding something to his head gingerly as he sat on a chaise. Inwardly, Jack grinned. Lara had been busy.

"So, you are the Tau'ri all the System Lords would pay to see dead." He said. "But I fail to see why you are so important."

Jack glared at Svarog. Man, if it wasn't bad enough that he had been captured by Goa'uld, now he was being told he wasn't even important! "Then ask all the System Lords I helped destroy." Jack snapped back.

Svarog looked at him arrogantly. "Like whom?" he sneered.

Jack looked at him levelly. "Ra, Apophis, Hathor, Cronus..." Jack trailed off.

He reached behind him suddenly and pulled out a zat that he had taken from one of the guards. "...you." Jack finished as he shot him twice.

Svarog fell to the ground, dead – a look of surprise still on his face.

_Right,_ Jack thought. _That was easy enough. Now all I have to do is find the computer core..._ Grinning, he gripped the zat and crept towards the door...

* * *

Lara kept her eyes on Kali, but remained standing where she was, the sais held loosely by her sides.

She saw that her apparent lack of defence or even will to fight would goad Kali into attacking first. And Kali did. Whirling her blades in a rather elaborate but rather pointless way, she charged, before her blades flashed out.

Lara swept her own sais up to block the attacks, using Kali's own attacks against her. Kali kept attacking in a flurry of movement, forcing Lara to keep dodging and blocking. Finally, Lara managed to spin far enough away, and she flipped backwards a couple of times to get some space. Lara shifted her weapons, holding the trident-like daggers in a guard in front of her. It seemed the fight was on.

Kali looked at Lara with a new expression in her eyes, and Lara thought this was probably the closest to respect a Goa'uld ever felt. "It seems we will have a proper fight, after all." She said.

_Oh, she's have one hell of a fight, all right!_ Lara thought. "Yes, Kali, we will." She said instead.

After that, the flight became a fast, intense battle between the two women, both attacking and blocking with great speed and precision, but landing no blows. As Lara moved back, slightly once again, this time circling her opponent with more caution, Lara tried to make her leaden limbs keep working. This fight was taking too long, Lara could feel it. She was getting too tired.

Glaring at Kali, Lara shook some of the hair that had escaped her braid out of her face. Her arms were sore from the constant attacking and blocking, and she has several little cuts where one of Kali's razor-sharp said had gotten too close. Then a thought struck her. Why the hell was she suddenly playing by Kali's rules? Kali wanted a traditional fight, using only her sais. But why was Lara doing that too?

Lara grinned coldly at Kali. She had never been fond of rules, and this was just another example. She must be more tired than she thought. So, maybe it was time to break some of those unspoken rules...and show Kali just how dangerous she could be.

Kali charged in again, her blades whipping through the air. Lara cocked her head to the side, waiting until Kali was just in range...before lashing out with a roundhouse kick straight into her unprotected stomach. Lara blocked the two strikes in her direction, before flipping one of the sais around and striking herself.

Kali caught is, but missed the kick Lara sent towards her knee. Kali stumbled back and Lara kicked her in the face, hard enough to break her nose. "Hassac!" Kali swore. "Do you have so little honour that you must cheat!"

"Who says I'm cheating Kali?" Lara asked, slightly taunting. "No one told me there were rules."

Kali gave a wordless screech, blood staining her white tunic, before she charged at Lara. But Lara was ready. Kali swung wildly, and Lara blocked quickly, trapping one of Kali's sais between her own. She wrenched it away, and it went spinning away.

Kali backed up and simply threw her remaining sai at Lara. Lara tried to twist out of the way, but the blade still managed to catch her on the arm, causing a Lara to wince. She felt blood begin to trickle down her arm and glared at Kali.

Kali never stood a chance once her weapons were gone. Lara stalked in, lashing put at Kali with her sais and kicks. Kali managed to twist one of the sais out of Lara grip, but it did her no good. Her eyes widened in complete horror as Lara drove the other blade home – straight into her heart.

The Goa'uld crumpled to the floor, blood once again staining her tunic red. As Lara watched in fascinated horror, the symbiote actually tried to leave its dead host to find another. But Lara wasn't about to let it. "I said you were going to die, Kali." Lara snapped. "Not just your host."

Lara snatched the sai from the body in front of her and stabbed the Goa'uld. It let off a piercing shriek which made Lara wince. She snatched up her other blade, lying a few feet away, and silenced the Goa'uld forever. Shuddering, she stood up. Out of all the things Lara had seen in her life that had to be one of the creepiest.

Suddenly Lara jerked her head up, as an alarm begin to sound. "What the hell..?" Lara trailed off.

"Lara!" a familiar voice called.

Lara spun, facing the doorway. "Jack!" she grinned, very happy to see him.

She ran the few steps to him, before kissing him soundly. When the pair broke apart, Jack gave her a grin. "What was that for?"

"Just happy to see you." Lara replied.

Jack noticed the blood and the bodies around her. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'll be fine." Lara replied.

"What happened?" Jack asked.

Lara smiled slightly. "Kali and I had a little chat."

"I'll say." Jack agreed. "But I'll have to hear the details later. Right now we need to get out of here."

"What's going on?" Lara asked, concerned.

"I set the self destruct on the ship. It's going to blow up in about eleven minutes."

Lara raised an eyebrow. "I see. Then let's get out of here, shall we?"

"Yes, let's." Jack agreed.


	15. Fifteen: Going Home

**Part Fifteen:**

The klaxons began to ring around the control room, and General Hammond sighed. Not another problem, he hoped. "Receiving SG-1's signal, sir." Sergeant Davis said after a minute.

General Hammond sighed inwardly with relief. SG-1 was back, and hopefully with Jacob, not that Hammond really doubted it – because SG-1 always managed to succeed. As the General watched, Major Carter walked through the gate, followed by Doctor Jackson, Doctor Fraiser, Jacob and Teal'c. Hammond frowned slightly when he didn't see Colonel O'Neill or Lady Croft with them.

Hammond quickly made his way downstairs in the gateroom, wanting the questions in his mind answered. "Major Carter," General Hammond said as soon as he entered the room. "Where are the Colonel and Lady Croft?"

Sam took a deep breath before answering the General. "We ran into a few problems, sir." She said. "Svarog took us to his ship before we could trade and we were captured. It turns out he was working with Kali." She paused for a second. "The Colonel and Lara are still on the ship. He ordered us to leave, sir. I had no choice."

Hammond nodded. That sounded like the Colonel, and he could see from her anguish, that Carter had not been happy about the whole idea.

"Permission to mount a rescue, sir?" she asked.

"Permission granted." Hammond said without hesitation. "But I want you checked out by medical and debriefed before you leave."

Just over an hour later they were ready to leave. Assembled in the gateroom and now dressed in their usual BDU's were Sam, Daniel, Teal'c and SG-3 under the command of Major Blake. All were armed. Janet stood next to General Hammond, with Anise and Jacob on his other side, waiting to see them off.

"Good luck." General Hammond said.

"Thank you, sir." Sam replied as the gate engaged behind her.

With a nod to Teal'c, Sam walked up the metal ramp and into the event horizon. Daniel, Teal'c and SG-3 followed.

* * *

They stepped out onto the same planet that they had gated from an hour before. SG-3 quickly secured the site and made sure they were alone. Even the gliders were still there.

The idea had been for Teal'c and Sam to rake a glider and scout out the situation before a more detailed plan was made.

"It appears we do not have to find the mothership." Teal'c said, looking towards the horizon.

Sam followed his gaze and noticed the shimmering shape of a mothership just beyond the atmosphere. "What are they doing this close to the planet?" Sam asked.

"I do not know." Teal'c replied.

As the group watched in horror, the mothership exploded. The sky around it was streaked with red as the debris fell towards the planets surface and was burned up in the atmosphere.

"Jack!" Daniel cried in anguish.

Everyone stood in shocked silence for a long minute, unable to accept the evidence before their own eyes. "Maybe they got off the ship before it blew." Major Blake suggested finally.

"That is indeed a possibility." Teal'c agreed. "Perhaps we should check."

"Good idea." Sam replied softly, still dazed. "They're probably waiting for us." She tried to smile, but everyone could still see the worry in her blue eyes.

* * *

Lara groaned and blinked up at the pale sky. She was tired, sore and hungry. So much so, that she couldn't be bothered moving from where she lay. "Where the hell are we?" she asked Jack, who was sitting slumped beside her.

"I have no idea." He replied.

The pair continued staring up at the sky for a moment, watching the red streaks from the debris of the mothership die out. "We should probably find out." Lara sighed.

"Yeah." Jack agreed.

Lara turned her head to see Jack and started to laugh. Jack raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked.

"What a pair we make." Lara said.

Jack smiled. "I guess this would look pretty funny."

The two of them were sprawled in the middle of a grassy meadow. Lara still wore her torn and bloody disguise and Jack only wore the stained pants and T-shirt of his usual uniform. They seemed rather out of place amongst the bright flowers. The sun shone down on them gently, warming Lara's skin. She sighed in pleasure. It was a nice sensation after the chilling cold of space.

Lara sat up slowly, her muscles weak and aching. She moved slightly, until she was leaning against Jack. Jack hooked an arm around her waist, before dragging her down onto the ground to lie beside him. "I hope there are no arrow-shooting natives on this planet." He muttered in her ear.

Lara chuckled as she remembered their previous adventure. "Definitely." She agreed.

They lay like that for a while, partially hidden by the grass. "I know it would be a bad idea, but I think I could fall asleep right here." Lara said.

Jack chuckled. "I know what you mean." He replied.

Then the pair tensed, having heard the unmistakable sound of someone approaching. "Not again." Lara whispered.

Suddenly Jack grinned, hearing a familiar voice cursing softly. "It's just Danny." He said.

Lara smiled and shut her eyes. "Wake me when he gets here." She said.

Jack smiled. "No problem."

* * *

Daniel cursed as he stumbled along through the grassy meadow. Both Teal'c and Sam had been sceptical when he had started to search in this direction, but instinct was telling him something was here. Spotting something amongst the grass and flowers, Daniel walked forward and burst into a grin. Lara and Jack lay curled together in the grass, giving every impression of being asleep. As he watched, though, Jack slitted open an eye and looked up at him. "Hey Danny boy." He said.

"Hey Jack." Daniel greeted.

Daniel pulled out his radio. "Sam, this is Daniel." He said.

"Hey Daniel." Sam replied through the radio. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Daniel said. "I just found Jack and Lara."

"Really?" Sam couldn't keep the joy from her voice. "We'll be there in a minute. Stay where you are."

Around a minute later, Sam, Teal'c and SG-3 all walked up. By now, Jack and Lara had gotten to their feet, but they were still standing close to each other. "Hello." Lara greeted them all.

"Hey Croft." Major Blake greeted cheerfully. "Jack."

Sam looked from one of them to the other. She grinned. "I want to hear _this_ story." She said.

* * *

Around two hours later the team had returned to the SGC and had told everyone what had happened. AS soon as that was over, Lara headed straight for the showers and then the mess hall. Jack found her sitting behind a mountain of food, which was disappearing rapidly.

"Hungry, aren't you?" he asked as he set down his own, remarkably smaller tray.

Lara grinned around a mouthful of food. "Oh, yeah." She said after she had swallowed.

At that moment, Daniel and Sam also walked up. "Gee, Lara." Daniel said. "Not even Teal'c eats that much!"

Lara shrugged. "Blowing up a mothership takes a lot out of a girl." She said, and took another mouthful.

"I'll bet." Sam said, sitting down beside her.

The four of them sat in companionable silence while they ate, and it didn't take long until they'd finished. Lara sighed contentedly. "That feels good."

Jack chuckled. "That is does, I have to admit."

Daniel turned to Lara, curiosity clear in his eyes. "Lara, why aren't you working for the SGC?"

The question surprised Lara. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"You know," Daniel explained. "Exploring the Universe and all that."

Lara gave a small smile. "I guess that's because I haven't finished exploring this planet yet."

"You're not curious at all?" Sam asked.

"Oh, I'm curious." Lara said. "But I'm curious about the lost civilisations on this planet too. Maybe when I've found them all..."

Sam grinned. "Well, you'll always have a place here." She said.

Lara grinned back. "I just might take you up on that soon, too."


	16. Sixteen: Epilogue

**Part Sixteen:**

Lara departed early next morning. Unfortunately, Jack, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c couldn't stay long because they were due for a debrief on the new mission they were to leave on that afternoon.

"I'll miss you all." Lara said. "So take care of yourselves and I might come and visit again soon."

"Bye Lara." Sam said, giving her a hug. "And you take care too."

"I will." Lara said.

"Don't forget to call." Janet said, she too, hugging Lara.

Daniel smiled shyly, before also giving Lara a hug. "I'll miss you too." He said.

"Safe travels, Lara Croft." Teal'c said.

"You too, Teal'c." Lara said.

Then Lara turned to Jack. She smiled at him, but it was a smile tinged with sadness. She knew this was goodbye for a while to a man she had come to care deeply about. She had things to do back in London and Jack had a planet to protect. "I'll see you soon, Jack." She said.

"Yeah." Jack agreed. Then he cursed. "Ah, hell."

Leaning forward, Jack gave her a long and passionate kiss. He broke away after a minute and looked at Lara with a sad look in his eye. "Stay safe, Croft."

"You too, Jack." Lara replied softly. "You too."

* * *

A week later:

Lara sighed with frustration. It was a week after she had gotten back from the SGC and she was bored already. She was also missing Jack, but she wasn't about to tell anyone else that. Growling, Lara picked up the pace as she walked back to the beginning of her assault course.

The cool breeze raised goosebumps on her skin, as it was still wet from the small swim she had just taken – at the end of the course. Irrationally, Lara was tempted to just hop on a plane and fly back to Colorado. But she couldn't. Not yet.

Sighing once more, Lara tried to clear her mind and focused on the assault course in front of her. "Bryce?" she called. "Are you ready?"

"Course I am." Bryce replied from beside her. "Ready? Go!"

Lara sprang forward, jumping and twisting easily as she followed the path through the course. She had designed it herself and new every twist and obstacle. Plunging through some knee deep freezing water, Lara jumped up and pulled herself over a large wooden wall, before running along a thin wooden bridge and diving flawlessly into a cold pool.

She swam through an underwater tunnel, the water making her shiver. She broke the surface, grinning madly as she felt her muscles respond and the adrenaline pump through her blood. Now this is what she lived for!

Within seconds, she had scaled another wooden wall and quickly slid down the flying fox on the other side, before dropping and running through the final doorway.

"One minute and forty seconds." Bryce said. "Not bad."

Lara shook out her wet hair and clothes, calming her breath at the same time. "It could be better." She said.

At that moment, Hilary walked up, handing Lara a towel and bottle of water. "There you are Lara." He said.

Lara raised an eyebrow. "Hilary, you're practically grinning. What's happened?"

"You'll see." Hilary replied cryptically. "If you'll come with me, Lara, I'll show you."

Glancing to her left and seeing a smiling Bryce, Lara gave in and followed Hilary as they made there way back towards the kitchen door.

"Hello Lara." Jack said, from where he leant up against the wall.

"Jack!" Lara said, quickening her pace.

Grinning, she gave him a hug and felt him laugh when he felt how wet she was. "You're wet!" he accused.

"I am." Lara agreed. "I went swimming."

Chuckling, Jack gave him a brief kiss. "Well, it's just as well I brought several changes of clothes then, isn't it?"

"You're staying?" Lara asked delightedly.

"Yep." Jack agreed.

"How long?"

"Oh, we've got about a week before General Hammond wants us back."

"Us?" Lara asked as they walked into the kitchen.

Then Lara laughed in delight as she saw her other three guests standing in the middle of her kitchen. "Sam! Daniel! Teal'c!"

"Greetings Lara." Teal'c said.

"Hey Lara." Sam grinned. "Nice place."

Lara glanced at her friends and knew she wasn't going to be bored anymore. "Just wait til you see the rest of the house." Lara said.

Lara walked forward and slung her arms around Sam and Daniel's shoulders. "This is going to be fun."

"Sure is." Jack said, following behind them. "Don't you think so, T?"

"Indeed."

THE END.

* * *

Author's Note: Well, there. It's finished. Sorry it took so long guys! Don't forget to review!

Cheeky.


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